hinderance

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈhɪndərəns/ UK /ˈhɪndərəns/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
something that impedes or obstructs (variant of hindrance)

The heavy fog proved a serious hinderance to the search.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · something that impedes or... obstacle impediment obstruction barrier encumbrance hindrance handicap

Opposites

aid help assistance advantage

Word family

Related forms hindrance hinder

Etymology

A variant spelling of hindrance, from hinder (Old English hindrian 'to keep back, hold back'), from Proto-Germanic *hinderōną, + the suffix -ance.

hindrian Old English *hinderōną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# hinderance

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈhɪndərəns/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈhɪndərəns/

## Meanings
1. something that impedes or obstructs (variant of hindrance)

## Examples
- The heavy fog proved a serious hinderance to the search.

## Synonyms
- obstacle
- impediment
- obstruction
- barrier
- encumbrance
- hindrance
- handicap

## Antonyms
- aid
- help
- assistance
- advantage

## Related Forms
- hindrance
- hinder

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: hindrian
- Root: *hinderōną

## Etymology
A variant spelling of hindrance, from hinder (Old English hindrian 'to keep back, hold back'), from Proto-Germanic *hinderōną, + the suffix -ance.

## AI Etymology
hinderance has the recorded history: A variant spelling of hindrance, from hinder (Old English hindrian 'to keep back, hold back'), from Proto-Germanic *hinderōną, + the suffix -ance. Morphologically, the ending is part of the etymology: the suffix is attached to the older base named in the history, producing a later English derivative. In present English, the noun sense is "something that impedes or obstructs (variant of hindrance)", so the historical development ends in a clearly identifiable modern dictionary use. The same base also appears in related forms such as hindrance and hinder. Its semantic neighborhood includes obstacle, impediment, obstruction, and barrier, which helps locate the modern sense without adding a separate etymological claim. The named historical forms include Old English hindrian and Proto-Germanic *hinderōną.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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