hinder
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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hinders,
present (3rd person singular)
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hindered,
past participle, past
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hindering
present participle
verb (used without object)
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hinders,
present (3rd person singular)
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hindered,
past participle, past
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hindering
present participle
adjective
noun
verb
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to be or get in the way of (someone or something); hamper
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(tr) to prevent
adjective
Usage
What does hinder mean? To hinder something is to make it harder for it to happen or be done, such as by delaying it or interrupting it. To hinder someone is to make it harder for them to do something. Close synonyms are hamper, impede, and obstruct. The word hinder is usually followed by the thing being hindered. It’s most commonly used in the context of progress, tasks, work, or other things that involve the completion of a goal. A person can hinder someone else’s progress or work by interrupting them, getting in their way, or putting obstacles in their way. This can be intentional or unintentional. Obstacles themselves can also be said to hinder a person’s progress. When an obstacle hinders someone, it gets in their way, slows them down, and prevents them from making further progress (until they find a way past it). Hinder can also mean to completely prevent or stop something from happening. However, in most cases, hinder doesn’t mean to stop something completely—only to slow its progress or delay it temporarily by making it more difficult to do. Something that hinders can be called a hindrance. Example: This traffic jam might hinder our ability to get there on time, but I’m going to try a detour.
Synonym Usage
See prevent.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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hindersimple
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hinderssimple
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have hinderedperfect
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has hinderedperfect
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am hinderingprogressive
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are hinderingprogressive
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is hinderingprogressive
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have been hinderingperfect progressive
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has been hinderingperfect progressive
Past
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hinderedsimple
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had hinderedperfect
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was hinderingprogressive
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were hinderingprogressive
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had been hinderingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hinder1
First recorded before 1000; from Middle English hindren, Old English hindrian “to hold back,” equivalent to hinder hinder 2 + -ian, causative verb suffix
Origin of hinder2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; compare Old English hinder (adverb) “behind”; cognate with German hinter (preposition) “behind”
Explanation
The verb hinder means to block or put something in the way of, so if you’re in a high-speed car chase with the police, they might put up a blockade to hinder your progress. The word hinder came from the Old English hindrian, which means to "injure or damage." That's a little more extreme than what it means today, because, now it just means to get in the way of something or someone. People might not like you too much if you make it a practice to hinder their progress or get in the way of things they want, even if it's a small hindrance like blocking someone from getting to the cookie jar.
Vocabulary lists containing hinder
"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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Beowulf: A New Telling
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "H"
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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.
See Examples For:
More people are hitting pause on buying a home, as surging mortgage rates continue to hinder the housing market.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
The size of a tablet computer and attached to drones, the military-grade jammers can hinder Russian air defence systems from tracking and targeting such weapons in-flight, Downing Street said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
New restrictions on collaborations with scientists in other countries would hinder opportunities for U.S. researchers and limit innovation, said Joanne Padrón Carney, chief government relations officer for the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Although driving data from China is useful, there are other challenging conditions abroad which could hinder any rapid expansion in overseas markets.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
The serving girl cut the meat on Lady Seymour’s plate before setting it down so that the weakness of her arm would not hinder her.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Red tape often hinders those who remain from carrying out preventive actions like controlled burns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
But it was interesting to see him wrestle with how his work hinders that — is it the crutch or the salvation?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Carrying costs are also an issue—massive properties are burdened by soaring taxes—especially in markets like Los Angeles, where the mansion tax hinders high-end sales.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026
The average electric vehicle costs about $55,000, and the expiration of a $7,500 tax credit further hinders U.S. adoption compared to Europe and China.
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
And so, in consequence, there are infinite habitable worlds; what hinders? ... these and suchlike insolent and bold attempts, prodigious paradoxes, inferences must needs follow, if it once be granted which ...
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
According to materials published by DFSX, it is using a fully domestic supply chain to bypass restrictions on high-end technology that have hindered Chinese firms’ ability to produce cutting-edge semiconductors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The talent pool has been hindered by the Mexico club system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
The blistering heat also has hindered efforts to fight massive wildfires raging in Colorado and Utah.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
Seventh seed Gauff was hindered by four double faults and 17 unforced errors in the opening set.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Others who might have helped us instead hindered us.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
In the comments section under Adeyemi’s Wednesday video, frustrated fans asked the author to be more transparent while others suggested maybe a non-disclosure agreement was hindering her ability to offer any specifics on the incident.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Spain's state meteorological agency Aemet has warned the "fire danger level will continue to rise to extreme levels, hindering firefighting efforts".
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Many residents feel frustrated how the water shortage is hindering their daily activities.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
But Brexit isn’t the only actor at play, with a structural lack of exposure to technology stocks also hindering performance, they wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
“You are hindering Nico. You try to persuade him to give up his goal. I would make him a lord!”
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
