as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
without the encumbrance of a heavy backpack, I could sprint along the trail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbrances
Noun
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While officials have described the talks as constructive, major obstacles remain, chief among them the future of territory in eastern Ukraine where Moscow has shown little sign of softening its demands.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026 -
When the car finally got moving, protesters began throwing obstacles in its path — Lime scooters, bicycles, seemingly anything that might trigger the car’s automatic anti-collision braking system.—
Evan Minsker,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Raised in a rural village four hours from the Algerian capital, Khelif sold scrap copper as a young girl to fund her training, overcoming significant economic and societal hurdles.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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Even with the rapidly decreasing price of launching things into space, there are incredible technological and financial hurdles that stand in the way of exploiting resources in orbit.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Check slopes for bare spots, holes and obstructions, like rocks, fences or poles.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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Flat roofs with parapets (side walls), stepped roofs, saw-tooth roofs, and roofs with chimneys and other obstructions on top can collect snow in an unbalanced manner, the agency said.—
Bailey Allen,
The Providence Journal,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But anomaly detection may have prevented embarrassments like the one at OPERA.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
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All the teams ran largely reliably and there were no major embarrassments playing out in front of the public and the media.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Skip thin plastic mulches and cheap fabrics and use shredded leaves, wood chips, cardboard, or durable, reusable barriers.—
Dr. Avishesh Neupane,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
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Paying visitors were forced to take cover when some tourists stood behind the barriers and flung coins down on them from above.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Encumbrances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbrances. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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