Synonyms of hamper

hamper 1 of 2

verb

ˈham-pər 

as in to hinder

to create difficulty for the work or activity of

fallen branches hampered the hikers as they made their way along the narrow path

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hinder
• impede
• obstruct
• embarrass
• handicap
• inhibit
• delay
• restrain
• stymie
• disrupt
• interfere (with)
• constrain
• block
• cramp
• hobble
• thwart
• frustrate
• encumber
• clog
• handcuff
• shackle
• tie up
• hold back
• stifle
• fetter
• short-circuit
• tie
• trammel
• hog-tie
• bind
• curb
• give a hard time
• manacle
• cramp one's style
• brake
• check
• retard
• rein
• hold up
• retain
• choke
• sabotage
• strangle
• confine
• baffle
• balk
• derail
• arrest
• bog (down)
• tether
• chain
• blockade
• barricade
• leash
• smother
• suffocate
• foil
• roadblock
• mire
• muzzle
• repress
• stump
• suppress
• halter
• hedge (in)
• hem (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• help
• facilitate
• aid
• assist
• open
• clear
• liberate
• free
• make way
• release
• promote
• encourage
• loosen
• unclog
• smooth
• unplug
• unstop
• further
• untie

hamper

2 of 2

noun

as in basket

Related Words

• basket
• bag
• pocket
• sack
• crate
• trunk
• bin
• box
• locker
• carton
• cooler
• caddy
• casket
• warmer
• case
• bowl
• kit
• basin
• bottle
• kettle
• cartridge
• handbasket
• tub
• pack
• bucket
• pail
• pitcher
• jug
• keg
• can
• jar
• pot
• carrier
• container
• vat
• holder
• receptacle
• vessel

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb hamper contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of hamper are clog, fetter, manacle, shackle, and trammel. While all these words mean "to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting," hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

When is it sensible to use clog instead of hamper?

The meanings of clog and hamper largely overlap; however, clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

In what contexts can fetter take the place of hamper?

The synonyms fetter and hamper are sometimes interchangeable, but fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

How is shackle related to other words for hamper?

Both shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice

a people manacled by tyranny

When could trammel be used to replace hamper?

While in some cases nearly identical to hamper, trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hamper

Verb

The remoteness of the avalanche site combined with severe weather and highway closures hampered the rescue response, Reynaud said. —Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026

Lebanon’s reconstruction drive after the 1975-1990 civil war was fueled by a borrowing binge that ultimately proved unsustainable for a country hampered by endemic corruption, toxic politics, and frequent conflicts with Israel. —Alaa Shahine Salha, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026

Noun

Even better, use a sorting hamper to make laundry day easier. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026

Storage baskets can get typecast as laundry hampers, but their usage is much more utilitarian. —Lauren Arzbaecher, Architectural Digest, 30 Dec. 2025