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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbrances
Noun
-
But the obstacles are overwhelming.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Feb. 2026 -
Why cruise lines conduct safety drills Safety drills, also called muster drills, are not the brainchild of a sadistic cruise ship officer, trying to place obstacles between cruise guests and their sunbathing and cocktails.—
Erica Silverstein,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The 35% analyst upside projection appears optimistic given the structural hurdles.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Financing hurdles In April, the City Council created a special tax district to help pay for the Stitch.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Check slopes for bare spots, holes and obstructions, like rocks, fences or poles.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
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
-
Such a link might also provide the quiet word that can avoid more public embarrassments.—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Vulnerability is currency on reality television, and after a season of exposing their own struggles and embarrassments, the other women are annoyed that Meredith wants to keep up appearances.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At this scale, electrons start tunneling through barriers meant to contain them, causing current leakage even when devices are off.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Blake Snell is walking along one of the barriers giving every nearby fan — every one — a fist bump.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Encumbrances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbrances. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
