impediment

[im-ped-uh-muhnt] / ɪmˈpɛd ə mənt /

NOUN

obstruction, hindrance

Synonyms

STRONGEST

barrier bottleneck burden defect deterrent difficulty disadvantage drawback flaw handicap hazard hitch hurdle inhibition obstacle red tape restriction setback snag stumbling block

STRONG

bar barricade block blockage catch chain check clog cramp curb delay detriment drag encumbrance fault holdup load manacle millstone prohibition restraint retardation rub shackle stoppage stricture tie trammel wall

WEAK

Catch-22 dead weight retardment road block

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantage aid assistance benefit blessing boon freedom help opening perfection strength

STRONG

allowance clearance liberation permission

WEAK

facilitation furtherance support

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The biggest impediment to cancer progress is a defeatist mindset that extending lives isn’t worth the cost.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

"I have a speech impediment, I stutter, so for people who feel like they're not the 'typical' host, I want this to feel like a home."

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

That could be a serious impediment for Anthropic, whose Claude artificial-intelligence model is widely used by the U.S. military and government contractors.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

That raises another potential impediment for state lawmakers hoping to goose the factory-built model: organized labor.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

Or, at least, Miyoko would be the only impediment if it weren’t for the U.S. government, which, ironically, may walk away from this chess match with the best score.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Vocabulary lists containing impediment

"Harrison Bergeron"

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

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Othello

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