impede
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Related Words
See prevent.
Other Word Forms
- impeder noun
- impedibility noun
- impedible adjective
- impedingly adverb
- unimpeding adjective
- unimpedingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of impede
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin impedīre “to entangle,” literally, “to snare the feet”; im- 1, pedi- ( def. )
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.
But for Day, the recommendations are frustrating and impede his independence.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
Often, they’re the same thing, like Byrne’s stiff blonde wig or her set of fake teeth that impede several lines of dialogue to hysterical results.
From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026
Such thefts can also seriously impede 911 emergency systems and other telecommunications.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026
The NGOs have until December 31 to register under the new framework, which Israel says aims not to impede aid distribution but to prevent "hostile actors or supporters of terrorism" operating in the Palestinian territories.
From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025
As we shall see, many prescriptive rules originated for screwball reasons, impede clear and graceful prose, and have been flouted by the best writers for centuries.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
