impediment

[im-ped-uh-muhnt]

noun

1. obstruction; hindrance; obstacle.

   Synonyms: check, encumbrance, bar
   Antonyms: encouragement, help

2. any physical impairment or condition that impedes normal, fluent, or easy speech; a speech disorder.

3. Chiefly Ecclesiastical Law.,  a bar, usually of blood or affinity, to marriage.

   a diriment impediment.

4. Usually impediments. impedimenta.

impediment

/ ɪmˈpɛdɪmənt /

noun

1. a hindrance or obstruction

2. a physical defect, esp one of speech, such as a stammer

3. law an obstruction to the making of a contract, esp a contract of marriage by reason of closeness of blood or affinity

Other Word Forms

• impedimental adjective
• impedimentary adjective
• nonimpedimental adjective
• nonimpedimentary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of impediment¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin impedīmentum; impede, -ment

Synonym Study

See obstacle.

Example Sentences

The government has made much of its plans to sweep away impediments to economic growth and has seen that acknowledged by some of the biggest investors in UK infrastructure.

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The animals are increasingly stressed from changes in food availability, shipping traffic, noise pollution, waste discharge, disease and plastic debris, and their ability to avoid and survive these impediments is diminishing.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Serve Robotics said in a statement that its robots are designed and tested to safely navigate around mobility devices such as wheelchairs and to avoid being an impediment to people with disabilities.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A group called the Runyon Canyon Guardians is now calling for officials to halt the bathroom project, calling it “fiscally irresponsible” and a public safety impediment.

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"I didn't even respond to them, because I just thought that's not good enough, you haven't shown a true interest… to educate your team on speech impediments."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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