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:
This could hinder occupants or rescuers from quickly opening the doors in an emergency, such as during a "severe collision causing the vehicle's low-voltage system to fail."
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
The team also explores how regulatory policy and threats to critical infrastructure help and hinder corporate protection and privacy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
More people are hitting pause on buying a home, as surging mortgage rates continue to hinder the housing market.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
In a statement, Santa Monica officials said their lawsuit was not meant to hinder autonomous vehicles from operating in the city, but to address conditions facing residents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
“I’ve got a sled standing outside now, with twenty fiftypound sacks of flour on it,” Matthewson went on with brutal directness; “so don’t let that hinder you.”
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
"Delays in specimen collection, transportation and testing can postpone confirmation by days or weeks, which hinders the isolation of infected persons, contact tracing and the initiation of outbreak-control measures," Sullivan wrote.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
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
Gravity hinders the manufacture of some items, like crystals used in electronics, and much bigger and better crystals can be formed in weightlessness.
From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins
“The persistence of the company’s proposal to close and sell the Brampton plant has hindered the bargaining process,” Unifor said, adding that talks have reached an impasse and are now paused.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
The inquiry into whether he passed confidential government information to the late Jeffrey Epstein could reportedly be hindered because US authorities are "unlikely to hand over key Epstein files".
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Contract signings to purchase existing homes fell 2.3% in July from the previous month, as high mortgage rates hindered transactions.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
“Efforts to identify the responsible party were hindered by ownership transitions and liability disputes, which delayed DTSC’s enforcement activities,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
It may be that the counsels of the Enemy will be confused, or hindered by his wrath with Saruman.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
“An English-only approach would not be doing that. In fact, it would be hindering in many cases.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
The K-pop group BTS angered fans after the band’s management company filed lawsuits against bootleggers: “They’re just hindering the spirit,” said one seller.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 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
While Europe is generally struggling in the car business, it’s the problems associated with China that’s hindering performance.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 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.
