HINDRANCE Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

hindrance

noun

ˈhin-drən(t)s

Definition of hindrance

as in obstacle

something that makes movement or progress difficult made a survey of all the hindrances to wheelchair access, such as curbs and stairs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of hindrance Many organizations mistakenly view governance as a hindrance, measuring AI maturity by deployment rather than critical questions about purpose, reliability, and accountability. — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Portugal’s World Cup to date has been dominated by the debate over whether Cristiano Ronaldo is a help or a hindrance. — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 1 July 2026 That sounds great to starting central defender Chris Richards, who thinks some time off wouldn't be a hindrance. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 That hasn’t been a hindrance to people coming in impressive numbers, nearly from the start. — Steve Hochman, SPIN, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hindrance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hindrance

Noun

Both benefit from improved navigation, apparently able to avoid cables and other obstacles as small as 2mm in size, as well as transparent objects like mirrors or glass.

— Dominic Preston, The Verge, 3 Sep. 2026
The 340-pound ball is just soft enough to bounce lightly over bumpy obstacles, but its slight overpressure keeps it relatively firm.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of obstacle

Noun

Earlier models relied on broad hydrological assumptions and missed practical engineering hurdles.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
At that moment Benson was tempted to use his vertical leap of more than 40 inches to simply glide over him like going over hurdles in a 110-meter race.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of hurdle

Noun

Investigators accused him of obstruction of justice, unlawful contracting and, among other things, claiming $127,630 in expenses linked to fictitious missions and plane tickets for nearly a dozen trips.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
The prosecutor, Matthew Evans, was fired on Thursday and is now under investigation for alleged obstruction of a grand jury probe, the person said.

— Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of obstruction

Noun

Just not being an embarrassment will go a long way for Giants fans.

— Adam Coleman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Meanwhile, a major reboot out of Canton as Hall of Fame reduces its voting body from 50 to 25 in wake of last year’s embarrassment when all-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick stunningly did not get in on first ballot.

— Greg Cote September 6, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of embarrassment

Browse Nearby Words

hindmost

hindrance

hindrances

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hindrance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hindrance. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hindrance

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

stigma

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes