hindrance

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Something that obstructs

Nouns

1. hindrance, obstruction, stoppage; interruption, interception, impedition; retardment, retardation; embarrassment, coarctation, stricture, restriction, restraint, embargo; deterrent, inhibition, prohibition; blockade, closure; difficulty. Informal, fly in the ointment.

2. (hindrance through intervention) interference, interposition (see between), obtrusion; disadvantage; discouragement, preventive action, dissuasion.

3. (something that hinders movement) impediment, let, obstacle, obstruction, knot, check, hitch, snag, glitch, contretemps; drawback, objection; stumbling block, blind alley, ill wind; head wind, opposition; trammel, hobble, tether; counterpoise; bar, stile, turnstile, barrier; barrage; buffer; gate, portcullis; barricade (see defense); [brick or stone] wall, breakwater; bulkhead, block, hurdle, buffer, stopper, boom, dam, floodgate, weir; embolism; gridlock, traffic jam. Informal, sleeping policeman.

4. (symbolic hindrance) encumbrance; clog, drag, stay, stop, detent, catch; preventive, prophylactic; load, burden, onus, handicap, millstone, impedimenta, ball and chain; dead weight; lumber, pack; incubus, old man of the sea; remora; red herring, false trail.

5. (hindrance to conception) contraception, birth control, Planned Parenthood; rhythm method, safe period; coitus interruptus; prophylactic [device], sheath, condom, pessary, diaphragm, cervical cap, coil, loop, intrauterine device, IUD, oral contraceptive, contraceptive sponge, [spermicidal] jelly, Norplant, suppository, morning-after pill; douche; [bilateral] tubal ligation, salpingectomy, vasectomy. Informal, the pill, elastic [band], specialities. Slang, rubber, safe, [eel]skin, propho, Vatican roulette, rubber cookie or ring, safe, catcher's mitt, jimmy [hat], Dutch cap, womb veil, french[ie], French tickler, glove.

6. handicap, disability; deformity, malformation (see distortion); paralysis (see disease).

7. (hindrance to enjoyment) damper, wet blanket, hinderer, marplot, killjoy, interloper; opponent (see opposition). Informal, party pooper.

Verbs

1. hinder, impede, delay, detain; embarrass, interpose, interfere, meddle; keep, fend, stave, or ward off; obviate; avert, turn aside, draw off, nip in the bud; forestall, retard, slacken, check, let; counteract, countercheck; debar, foreclose, deter, estop, inhibit (see prohibition); shackle, restrain (See restraint); restrict. Informal, drag one's feet. Slang, stonewall.

2. obstruct, stop, stay, bar, block [up]; barricade; bar the door, dam up, close (see closure); put on the brake, put a spoke in the wheel; put a stop to (see end); interrupt, intercept; oppose (see opposition); fence, hem, or hedge in, cut off; cramp, hamper; clog, [en]cumber; choke; saddle or load with, overload, trammel, tie one's hands; inconvenience, incommode, baffle, faze, discommode. Slang, gum up, throw a monkey wrench in the works. Informal, cross up.

3. handicap, disable; thwart, foil, frustrate, disconcert, balk, baffle; spoil, mar, clip the wings of, cripple (see deterioration); dishearten, dissuade, deter, discourage; discountenance, throw cold water or a wet blanket on; cut the ground from under one, nip in the bud, take the wind out of one's sails, hang up, undermine; be or stand in the way of; act as a drag, be a millstone around one's neck. Informal, cook one's goose, spike one's guns. Slang, cramp one's style, louse up.

Adjectives

1. hindering, preventive, forbidding, deterrent; obstructive, impeditive, interceptive; in the way of, unfavorable; onerous, burdensome, cumbersome, cumbrous; binding, blocking, obtrusive; in one's hair, inhibitory, preclusive; prophylactic.

2. hindered, waterlogged, heavy-laden; hard-pressed; handicapped, impeded, thwarted, etc.; handicapable.

Antonyms, see aid.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

Syn. obstacle, impediment, restraint; see barrier , impediment 1 , interference 1 .

See Synonym Study at impediment .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.

impediment, obstruction, encumbrance, stumbling block, obstacle, restriction, restraint, constraint, snag, handicap.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun Something that impedes or prevents entry or passage: bar, barricade, barrier, block, blockage, clog, hamper, hurdle, impediment, obstacle, obstruction, snag, stop, traverse, wall. See HELP, OPEN.