impediment
Americannoun
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obstruction; hindrance; obstacle.
- Synonyms:
- check, encumbrance, bar
- Antonyms:
- encouragement, help
-
any physical impairment or condition that impedes normal, fluent, or easy speech; a speech disorder.
-
Chiefly Ecclesiastical Law. a bar, usually of blood or affinity, to marriage.
a diriment impediment.
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Usually impediments. impedimenta.
noun
-
a hindrance or obstruction
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a physical defect, esp one of speech, such as a stammer
-
law an obstruction to the making of a contract, esp a contract of marriage by reason of closeness of blood or affinity
Related Words
See obstacle.
Other Word Forms
- impedimental adjective
- impedimentary adjective
- nonimpedimental adjective
- nonimpedimentary adjective
Etymology
Origin of impediment
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin impedīmentum; impede, -ment
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.
That raises another potential impediment for state lawmakers hoping to goose the factory-built model: organized labor.
From Los Angeles Times
These impediments may well have disillusioned some of the voters who backed Move Forward three years ago.
From BBC
Wiener said his bill would rectify those impediments.
From Los Angeles Times
These types of lawsuits are considered to be the main impediment to private equity’s inclusion in defined-contribution retirement accounts.
The rules did draw backlash from some local startups, which called the rules vague or warned the fresh impediments could stymie innovation.
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.
