as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
tough going for the burros on the canyon trail, even without the added impediment of heavy loads
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 impediment
Perhaps the largest impediment to his title hopes over the next decade.
—
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 9 May 2026
By 2025, nearly one-fourth of the counties in the United States had enacted some impediment to new utility-scale wind and solar energy—up from as few as 15 percent two years earlier, according to a USA Today analysis.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
The housing crisis is one of the biggest impediments to prosperity and quality of life in San Diego and California.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
But the law may no longer be an impediment.
—Kim Chandler, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impediment
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 9 May 2026
By 2025, nearly one-fourth of the counties in the United States had enacted some impediment to new utility-scale wind and solar energy—up from as few as 15 percent two years earlier, according to a USA Today analysis.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
The housing crisis is one of the biggest impediments to prosperity and quality of life in San Diego and California.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
But the law may no longer be an impediment.
—Kim Chandler, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impediment
Noun
-
The first robot stumbles on aluminum debris, its wheels furiously trying to get traction and move around the obstacle.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
That disconnect is beginning to create what could become the new trust economy—one in which governance, authentication, transparency and accountability become strategic advantages for the companies in this space, rather than just operational or compliance obstacles.—
Jacques Ledbetter,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Moreover, compared to nearby countries that have counteracted the economic effects of aging populations with new immigrants and their children, Italy has set more hurdles on the path to citizenship for those without native ancestry, even if they are born in the country.—
Albert Samaha,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
-
Negotiating the first hurdle is followed by three sets of group-phase challenges home and away, played on Thursdays in October, November and December, to make it to the knockout stage in the New Year.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
All were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct along with either endangering another person or obstruction of justice, state police said.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
The New Jersey State Police said in a statement that one of those faced a charge of disorderly conduct and endangering another person and the other five were charged with disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice.—
Daniella Silva,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Nectar Hard Seltzer has been partnering with influencer Kelly Kim to get people to reframe the alcohol flush reaction some people experience, to turn it into a beauty moment instead of embarrassment.—
Jeanette Hurt,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Overcoming cost barriers with advanced architecture Traditional nuclear energy projects frequently face economic hurdles due to the extensive lead times and high capital requirements of manufacturing heavy components.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
-
Challenges to Overcome These two challenges are at the heart of his efforts; developing therapies to repair the barrier when it is damaged and, separately, to safely open it for delivering treatments to the brain.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impediment. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
