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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impediment
There is no problem in America that will be solved by fewer impediments to mob rule.
—
Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Technology that initially seemed like an asset may in fact be an impediment.
—Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2026
To humanity’s great thinkers and leaders, gambling was an impediment to an ethical life (Aristotle), an invention of the devil (Saint Augustine), and a tax on the ignorant (Warren Buffett).
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Wind shear, which occurs when winds blow at different speeds and/or directions with height, acts as an impediment to fledgling tropical storms and hurricanes.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impediment
Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Technology that initially seemed like an asset may in fact be an impediment.
—Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2026
To humanity’s great thinkers and leaders, gambling was an impediment to an ethical life (Aristotle), an invention of the devil (Saint Augustine), and a tax on the ignorant (Warren Buffett).
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Wind shear, which occurs when winds blow at different speeds and/or directions with height, acts as an impediment to fledgling tropical storms and hurricanes.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impediment
Noun
-
The Sixers, however, hadn’t considered the circumstances, the stakes, the resilience of an opponent with far bigger fish to fry than a second-round obstacle.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
All of this creates significant obstacles to its use as fuel for nuclear weapons.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Montverde senior Jizelle Holland piled up points with runner-up finishes in both hurdles finals, a sixth in the triple jump and a leg on the winning relay.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
Plantation senior Nyla Christian won the long jump and placed second in the 100 hurdles to lead a contingent of Broward and Palm Beach County athletes in a parade to the podium.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Coastal and eastern areas offer more dramatic settings, but come with greater risk from haze and obstruction.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 May 2026
-
The hearings stretched into July, when the Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment for obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of Congress.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Under Ross, that streak is now 25 years, longest in the NFL — a plain embarrassment for the only franchise (still) to have a Perfect Season.—
Greg Cote
May 7,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Of those 19 games, eight of them have been the lowest home attendance marks in club history for a franchise coming off three consecutive 100-loss seasons, including a historic 119-defeat embarrassment in 2025.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Inside a New York City welfare office, WELFARE reveals the human struggles, bureaucratic barriers, and impossible choices at the heart of the social safety net.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
-
Construction crews building a barrier between the United States and Mexico damaged a 200-foot-long etching of a fish embedded in the land that is thought to be 1,000 years old, according to a report in the Washington Post.—
Andy Battaglia,
ARTnews.com,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impediment. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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