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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Monster
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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:
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
He had willed it into existence in his characteristic way, fast and without faultfinding inspectors to impede his vision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 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
In return, British Columbia agreed to not impede efforts to build a new pipeline, and collect annual royalty payments from the pipeline owner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
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
Johnson’s writing is luminously beautiful, her assiduous research never impedes the narrative, and the illustrations are spectacular.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Ignoring those, they said, “stifles that debate and our ability to move forward as a nation,” and impedes healing.
From Salon ● May 14, 2026
“Decoupling seller profit from buyer satisfaction impedes economic growth and slows innovation. Buyer surplus stagnates and inflation accelerates.”
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 6, 2026
Alexandra Saieh, Head of Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy, says the more obstacles in place, the further it impedes the ability to offer effective humanitarian assistance and causes "a catastrophic impact on people in Gaza."
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
"When pursued," says Mrs. Bowdich, "he constantly impedes the progress of his enemies by throwing the soil behind him, so as to fill up the passages, while he escapes to the surface."
From Natural History in Anecdote Illustrating the nature, habits, manners and customs of animals, birds, fishes, reptiles, etc., etc., etc. by Various
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
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
Indeed – as Nuseibeh acknowledges – MBS himself was responsible for some of the issues that have impeded the scope and rate of change - as well as casting a long shadow over his rule.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
Shelby County also impeded votes that were cast from translating into meaningful political power, especially at the local level.
From Slate ● May 1, 2026
The footsteps were coming nearer: I raised myself on my elbow the better to listen, trying to still the thudding in my eardrums which impeded my hearing.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
He missed pole by just 0.012 seconds and raced strongly, yet impeding Piastri in qualifying and speeding in the pit lane turned a potential podium into fifth.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Most of Uminer’s books were shelved and weren’t impeding entrances and exits.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
Under Essayli, federal prosecutors in L.A. have aggressively charged protesters with assaulting and impeding the actions of immigration agents, filing more than 100 cases.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Roads around the devastated Caribbean coastal towns were clogged with bumper-to-bumper traffic, impeding first responders and the heavy machinery needed to move rubble.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
The mud was impeding him too, because one time, when he kicked out, he slipped and fell out of view into the blackness.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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.
