1
as in disadvantage
a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success
her natural shyness was not a handicap when she played chess
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
her uncomfortable shoes became a handicap on the walking tour of the city, as she often had to sit and rest her sore feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the baseball player's small size did not handicap him in the least
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handicap
Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
The parking area is handicap accessible, as well as the free tram service from the lot to the festival grounds.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 29 Aug. 2025
Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Its read and write speeds can be handicapped by your computer hardware.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for handicap
Noun
The cars' real handicaps were a lack of liquid cooling for the battery packs.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
The parking area is handicap accessible, as well as the free tram service from the lot to the festival grounds.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
But the bad news is this has handicapped the Yankees' DH slot and put them in a tough position with veteran Giancarlo Stanton, whose body is seemingly too roughed up to play the field every day.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Its read and write speeds can be handicapped by your computer hardware.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for handicap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handicap
Noun
-
Are there any disadvantages to redshirting?—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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Across the country, girls and women are once again being asked to overcome structural disadvantages that Title IX was designed to eliminate.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Over the next 12 months, HMS will gain access to mentorship, commercial opportunities, business and legal advisory, digital tools, and physical resources such as co-working spaces and wet labs, support designed to help early-stage companies overcome common obstacles that startups face.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Sep. 2025
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The permit problem According to Saltzer, capture is lagging because, despite available storage and existing pipelines, permitting new CO2 infrastructure remains a major obstacle.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After being hampered by injuries late in his time with the Royals, Keller is healthy and happy to be part of Chicago’s bullpen.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
2 Oct. 2025
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The appointment ends a three-month mayoral vacancy that has been hampering efforts to repair the city's aging, leak-prone water system.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The additional hurdle for H-1B visas—a category for high-skilled workers that many tech companies rely upon—could undermine America’s ability to attract top tech talent, Bansal explained.—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
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Of course, there’s still a final hurdle for Cootes to leap over in the final week of the preseason.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These gaps have long hindered the growth of private assets in investor portfolios.—
Henry Fernandez,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
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Lower mortgage rates, which have fallen in recent weeks in anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut rates for the first time since December 2024, are helping get buyers back to the market—but experts think that a government shutdown might hinder their return.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The proposal of a drone wall, which is particularly supported by Baltic and Eastern European states, is intended as both a deterrence and defensive barrier, as well as a way to pool resources to bolster Europe’s collective defense.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Prospective vehicle buyers consistently rate a lack of charging infrastructure as a key barrier to entry for EV adoption.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors say Comey lied about authorizing an FBI source to speak to the media about the investigation and obstructed Congress by making false statements intended to impede lawmakers’ probe into the FBI’s actions, according to a copy of the indictment obtained by The Washington Post.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
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Another lottery pick, Leo Carlsson, twice impeded Utah’s progress up the ice.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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He has been charged with armed kidnapping, willful injury, domestic abuse assault with the intent to inflict serious injuries and obstruction of emergency communications, according to public court records.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
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Bondi’s appearance on Fox News comes days after Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury on two of three counts sought by prosecutors, one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice, according to documents.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handicap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handicap. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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