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. -ments-menta-ˈmɛntə law an obstruction to the making of a contract, esp a contract of marriage by reason of closeness of blood or affinity

Derived Forms

• imˌpediˈmental, adjective

Other Words From

• im·ped·i·men·tal [im-ped-, uh, -, men, -tl], im·ped·i·men·ta·ry adjective
• non·im·ped·i·men·tal adjective
• non·im·ped·i·men·ta·ry 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

Overall, we consider these to be minor impediments because a rechargeable warmer’s heating time is guaranteed to be longer than a chemically activated option, and the custom control is far greater than a lighter fluid-filled hand warmer.

From Popular-Science

The sympathy created by his fake impediment lands the job for him.

From Washington Blade

You would never guess that a few years ago, Gorman was struggling with a speech impediment.

From Washington Post

One thing you may not have known is that Gorman overcame a speech impediment.

From Essence.com

He insisted that money was not an impediment for state-run vaccination programs.

From Washington Post

The edict says “any persons that can express any legal impediment can denounce” the nuptials.

From The Daily Beast

Despite the legal impediment, Hamza convinced Traverso to marry him.

From The Daily Beast

The traffic, as in all of Los Angeles, is a serious impediment.

From The Daily Beast

One obvious impediment is the difficulty of getting into the country.

From The Daily Beast

The war has been a constant impediment to their grand tourism plans.

From The Daily Beast

Wood may be cut close to the beach, and embarked without impediment.

From Project Gutenberg

The unfortunate gentleman had an impediment in his speech, and this was noted down as proving him to be a German, of course!

From Project Gutenberg

They are an impediment to the progress of knowledge, only when they are permanently acquiesced in.

From Project Gutenberg

It is here that the only practical impediment occurs to the passage of heavy shipping, between Buffalo and Chicago.

From Project Gutenberg

Religion is the greatest impediment to the progress of human happiness.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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