as in obstacles
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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Recent Examples of impediments
Electric grids, largely designed for centralized fossil generation, are impediments to renewable expansion.
—
Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
The challenge, as Yash sees it, lies less with audience appetite than with structural impediments.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 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
Stuck in the desert somewhere just south of the American border, Zendaya’s desperate, unreasonably chipper addict is trying to get a duffel bag filled with who knows what from Chihuahua back to California, but her off-road route is filled with impediments.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
One of the main impediments to buying an electric vehicle in the US was the availability of charging infrastructure.
—Kyle Stock, Bloomberg, 8 Apr. 2026
There is no problem in America that will be solved by fewer impediments to mob rule.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Dasgupta notes that regular physical activity improves sleep quality by promoting deeper sleep stages, while limiting late-day naps helps prevent impediments to nighttime rest.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
Also consider other impediments such as tariffs and customs duties; where the parts of your product are manufactured; product and component licensing; and use of open-source technology.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Jan. 2026
Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
The challenge, as Yash sees it, lies less with audience appetite than with structural impediments.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 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
Stuck in the desert somewhere just south of the American border, Zendaya’s desperate, unreasonably chipper addict is trying to get a duffel bag filled with who knows what from Chihuahua back to California, but her off-road route is filled with impediments.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
One of the main impediments to buying an electric vehicle in the US was the availability of charging infrastructure.
—Kyle Stock, Bloomberg, 8 Apr. 2026
There is no problem in America that will be solved by fewer impediments to mob rule.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Dasgupta notes that regular physical activity improves sleep quality by promoting deeper sleep stages, while limiting late-day naps helps prevent impediments to nighttime rest.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
Also consider other impediments such as tariffs and customs duties; where the parts of your product are manufactured; product and component licensing; and use of open-source technology.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impediments
Noun
-
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
-
His fragile starman is a strange, complex being navigating his way through Earth’s obstacles, including love, lust, addiction, greed, and ambition in his plight to save his planet and survive the chaos caused by his arrival.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
29 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
-
California has the third-most data centers in the country, with 300, but high electricity rates, expensive land and regulatory hurdles mean that fewer, and smaller, facilities are currently planned than in other hotspots.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Of the photons of light that avoid clouds of dust and other deep-space obstructions to reach our planet, most don’t make it through Earth’s thick atmosphere, let alone through a telescope’s loss-prone optics.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
27 May 2026
-
Water causes cotton to expand rather than dissolve, which can create obstructions in pipes.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
21 May 2026
Noun
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Removing barriers for non-traditional students like prohibitive costs or complicated admissions and financial aid processes is one way to improve access, said Lane, who helps create the commission’s enrollment reports.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Additionally, opposition parties have reported political repression and administrative barriers.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impediments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impediments. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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