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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handicap
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Horan is a passionate golfer with a single-figure handicap of approximately 8-9, a regular at pro-ams and the founder of Modest!
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
But now, environmental advocates worry its storied tenure might finally be coming to an end under plans to reorganize a department already handicapped by staff shortages and strip it of environmental-permitting authority.
—Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handicap
Noun
Horan is a passionate golfer in his own right, carrying an approximate 8-9 handicap and regularly appearing at pro-am events.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Horan is a passionate golfer with a single-figure handicap of approximately 8-9, a regular at pro-ams and the founder of Modest!
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
Teams have been trying to handicap when expansion could hit, going on forecasting retreats and studying what could be the most disruptive team-building moment to hit the league in more than two decades.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
But now, environmental advocates worry its storied tenure might finally be coming to an end under plans to reorganize a department already handicapped by staff shortages and strip it of environmental-permitting authority.
—Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handicap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handicap
Noun
-
Democrats view the open-seat contest as one of their better statewide opportunities in years, though the party still faces structural disadvantages in turnout during nonpresidential elections.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2026
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Ukraine is also facing its own infantry shortage and recruitment issues after starting at a manpower disadvantage compared to Russia.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
Noun
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But as the necessities of their jobs begin to push them farther apart, truckdriving becomes a serious obstacle to their budding relationship.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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The incidents involving contact with chains, trailer hitches, poles, and curbs indicate recurring limitations in detecting smaller or irregular obstacles, especially during reversing maneuvers.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
But experts say the seesaw may be hampering efforts to reach a deal.—
Jackie Northam,
NPR,
12 May 2026
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The shadow of the Epstein scandal Starmer's government, despite a massive Labour majority in parliament, has struggled to lower the cost of living and kick start a floundering British economy — hampered albeit by the wars in Ukraine and Iran and their devastating impact on global energy prices.—
Frank Andrews,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The former junkyard is seen as ripe for future redevelopment, but an environmental clean-up is clearly a costly hurdle to be cleared.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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Regular New Yorkers don’t care about the reasons for the bureaucratic hurdles.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Similar artificial intelligence legislation had failed in previous years due to concerns from the governor’s office that regulations would hinder innovation in the state.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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De-escalate the Crisis Narrative The word crisis is splashed across every headline regarding mental health, but Redding warns that overusing this term can actually hinder our ability to help.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The county is majority Republican, but the general sentiment was strongly opposed to a border barrier.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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The lack of barrier between your skin and the shoe is a blister disaster waiting to happen, especially during the hot, humid summer months.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno was the victim both times, impeded by Kevin Schade and then Igor Thiago.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
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In the Jazz Age, the culture and the style that Bradley was soaking up every night were information that white performers craved, but which racial segregation impeded them from accessing.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Smith was indicted for principal to manslaughter, principal to felony hazing and obstruction of justice.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
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In December, Hill pleaded guilty to state charges of misconduct, perjury and obstruction of justice and was put on probation.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handicap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handicap. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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