to impede

Examples

• All

• This in no way impedes my ability to do my job.

  Jumping the Broom (2011)

• So the question is, why didn't that mistake impede Conrad Lawrence?

• At their worst, they impede clear communication.

• You may use your right arm as long as it does not impede on our progress with your left arm.

  Peterloo (2018)

• If you impede me in any way at all, I'll be reading you your rights.

  The Million Dollar Hotel (2000)

• The promise of this agency was to investigate, infiltrate, and impede criminal activity.

  Gun Hill Road (2011)

• It's this kind of stuff that impedes healing for survivors.

  DoctorRamani

• What climate scientists worry about is now that an increase in global temperature could impede this overturning circulation in the Atlantic Ocean.

• While this did not impede Chinese progress too much, such harrying attacks must have inflicted casualties.

• You don't have to move a lot to seriously impede a strong touch typist's ability to get anything done on a keyboard.

  Linus Tech Tips

Synonyms

B

to block

vsto impede

∞ 3.0

To stop movement, access, or progress

delays or slows progress instead of necessarily fully stopping it

H

to halt

vsto impede

206 2.4

To stop moving or make something stop moving

delays or slows progress rather than necessarily causing an immediate full stop

G

to get in the way

vsto impede

206 3.3

To stop or slow something from happening

delays or prevents progress rather than simply causing minor interference

H

to hold back

vsto impede

187 3.2

Stop someone or something from moving forward

delays or prevents movement rather than always causing a full stop

O

to obstruct

vsto impede

119 5.1

To block a path or view

delays or hinders progress rather than always creating a physical barrier

C

to check

vsto impede

104 3.7

Stop something from growing or spreading

delays or prevents progress rather than merely limiting its scope

T

to thwart

vsto impede

87 7.4

To stop someone from doing what they want

delays or hinders progress without implying active opposition

H

to hinder

vsto impede

75 3.6

To make it difficult for people or things to do something

delays or prevents progress rather than describing specific obstruction methods

H

to hamper

vsto impede

47 4.2

To make it harder for someone or something to move forward

delays or prevents progress but with no emphasis on reducing ability

F

to frustrate

vsto impede

35 3.6

Stop someone from doing something they planned to do

delays or prevents general progress rather than targeting goals specifically

I

to inhibit

vsto impede

30 5.4

Stop or make something less likely to happen

delays or prevents progress directly instead of only lowering chances

R

to retard

vsto impede

26 8.4

To make something happen more slowly

delays or prevents progress but may not imply complete stoppage

C

to clog

vsto impede

21 3.2

To block a pipe or passage so flow stops

delays or hinders general progress rather than only affecting flow

S

to stymy

vsto impede

20 8.7

To stop someone from making progress toward a goal

delays or hinders progress generally rather than specifically denying success

C

to clog up

vsto impede

9 3.7

To block a drain or road so things cannot move through it

delays or hinders progress generally rather than specifically creating a physical blockage

S

to stymie

vsto impede

5 8.0

To stop or slow progress

delays or makes progress difficult rather than always fully blocking it

B

to block up

vsto impede

4 3.8

To stop movement through a road, pipe, or path

delays or hinders movement rather than always causing total obstruction

B

to bottleneck

vsto impede

2 6.0

To become narrow and slow progress

delays or obstructs progress broadly rather than naming a local restriction

D

to derail a plan

vsto impede

1 5.2

Cause a plan to fail or stop moving forward

delays or hinders general movement rather than mainly ruining plans

S

to stand in someone's way

vsto impede

1 3.4

Stop someone from reaching their goal

delays or hinders movement or progress generally rather than focusing on aims

O

to obstruct someone's plans

vsto impede

5.6

To stop someone on purpose from doing what they planned

delays or prevents progress in general rather than specifically targeting plans

Antonyms

F

to facilitate

• Formal

187 4.9

To make a task or process easier and help it happen

A

assist

33 1.8

Help given to someone to make a task easier

How Obstructive

to prevent

∞ 2.3

to block

∞ 3.0

to impede

35 6.5

to hinder

75 3.6

to delay

562 1.4

to slow

957 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology