impede
Americanverb (used with object)
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impedes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
impeded,
past participle, past
-
impeding
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See prevent.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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impedernoun
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impedibilitynoun
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impedibleadjective
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unimpedingadjective
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impedinglyadverb
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unimpedinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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impedesimple
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impedessimple
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have impededperfect
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has impededperfect
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am impedingprogressive
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are impedingprogressive
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is impedingprogressive
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have been impedingperfect progressive
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has been impedingperfect progressive
Past
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impededsimple
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had impededperfect
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was impedingprogressive
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were impedingprogressive
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had been impedingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of impede
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin impedīre “to entangle,” literally, “to snare the feet”; see im- 1, pedi- ( def. )
Explanation
To impede something is to delay or block its progress or movement. Carrying six heavy bags will impede your progress if you're trying to walk across town in a hurry. Impede comes from the Latin impedire which literally means "to hold the feet," formed from the prefix in-, ("in") plus pes ("foot"). Think about walking with a cast on your foot — how slow and awkward that would be. If you struggle with reading, that might impede your progress in your social studies class. An impediment is something that impedes, such as a physical defect that affects speech — a speech impediment.
Vocabulary lists containing impede
List 1
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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"The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe
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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:
On the north and west sides of the blaze, bulldozers and ground crews built defensive lines to impede the fire’s spread.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Locals also voiced concerns about how the development might impact the views of the surrounding area, increase traffic and impede access to nearby bridleways and public footpaths.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Among them, Beazer insists that Dream Finders enter into a non-disclosure agreement with a 12-month standstill period, which Dream Finders said was an attempt to impede the potential deal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Any delays or setbacks to Starship could impede planned growth across SpaceX’s businesses, analysts say, and those represent a very real possibility.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
As in all consensus-driven bodies, though, members felt intense pressure not to impede progress with frivolous objections.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
"This in no way impedes the democratic transition," added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
This impedes renters’ ability to save and build wealth, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
State and federal agencies don’t track data around vitamin K injection refusal or subsequent bleeding, which impedes their ability to quantify and track outcomes, including death.
From Salon ● May 7, 2026
Arctic ice impedes airborne submarine detection that works in other oceans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025
To the Duc de la Rochefoucauld he wrote from Philadelphia, "I love France, I have 1000 Reasons for doing so: And whatever promotes or impedes her Happiness affects me as if she were my Mother."
From Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume I (of 2) A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own Writings by Wiliam Cabell Bruce
The court ruling, issued on Monday, said ministry guidelines were already in place to ensure "unobstructed" elephant corridors, but those routes have often been impeded.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
The board singled out the persistent bombing of German oil and communications facilities as a factor that impeded the resupply of the Nazi tank army.
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
Rubli tried to push back, but her therapist framed her concerns as blind spots that impeded healing, she says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Because we all know what that means: In history written by the victors, the Luddites impeded technological progress, attempted to halt innovation, and were soundly defeated by the Industrial Revolution.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
Because the mountains impeded north-south communication, it was much easier to coordinate the flow of goods and services east to west.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
One estimate of restaurant traffic hinted that rising gasoline and credit costs were already impeding discretionary spending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Then Hamilton, after qualifying second, was dropped to fifth on the grid with a penalty for impeding Piastri.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Most of Uminer’s books were shelved and weren’t impeding entrances and exits.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
Bottlenecks throughout the arms-production supply chain are impeding a manufacturing ramp-up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
He was carrying something in both hands, but his back was to her, impeding a view of what he held.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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.
