Something that is an impedimentto a person or thing makes their movement, development, or progress difficult.
[formal]
He was satisfied there was no legal impediment to the marriage. [+ to]
Synonyms: obstacle, barrier, check, bar More Synonyms of impediment
2. countable noun
Someone who has a speech impediment has a disability which makes speaking difficult.
John's slight speech impediment made it difficult for his mother to understand him.
impediment in British English
(ɪmˈpɛdɪmənt)
noun
1.
a hindrance or obstruction
2.
a physical defect, esp one of speech, such as a stammer
3. Word forms: plural-ments or -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
impedimental (imˌpediˈmental) or impedimentary (imˌpediˈmentary)
adjective
impediment in American English
(ɪmˈpɛdəmənt)
noun
1. Rare
an impeding or being impeded; obstruction
2.
anything that impedes
; specif.,
a.
a speech defect; stutter, lisp, stammer, etc.
b.
anything preventing the making of a legal contract, esp. of a marriage contract
c. Roman CatholicChurch
anything making marriage or ordination invalid or illicit
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈobstacle
Word origin
ME < L impedimentum, hindrance
Examples of 'impediment' in a sentence
impediment
I had a bad speech impediment.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
At the age of 41, he began to realise that he had a serious speech impediment.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The biggest impediments to trade are no longer tariffs but non-tariff barriers, such as regulations or licences.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The reality, according to insiders, was that the judge was out of her depth and a serious impediment to the work that others were trying to accomplish.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The rain was no impediment to the serious business of shopping.
Carlos Acosta No Way Home: A Cuban Dancer's Tale (2007)
The last of these had seemed for a long time a serious impediment to his career.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But it is the lack of price transparency that remains the biggest impediment to genuine competition.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The lack of availability of affordable childcare is still a serious impediment to work for very many women.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The complexity of handling negotiations with the global network of bitcoin investors was also regarded as a serious impediment.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She hasn't found her age the slightest impediment to finding assignments as a freelance journalist.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
What's the biggest impediment to unity that you face?
Christianity Today (2000)
It is often presumed that the speech impediment is caused by shyness, a neglected childhood or social awkwardness.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The best doctors were consulted and various diagnoses were made, although no serious impediment to the match was found.
Deborah Cadbury THE LOST KING OF FRANCE: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVII (2002)
Everything in the mining industry is on a vast scale and the boom in production means that getting basic supplies has become a serious impediment to growth.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It's quite hard to argue to a 16-year-old that bad hair is a serious impediment in life.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This wasn't easy when his cigar, speech impediment and habit of walking about conspired to make him inaudible.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
After all, if there would be no legal impediment stopping them from entering, they were just trying to cheat.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
impediment
British English: impediment NOUN
Something that is an impediment to a person or thing makes their movement, development, or progress difficult.
He was satisfied there was no legal impediment to the marriage.
American English: impediment
Brazilian Portuguese: obstáculo
Chinese: 妨碍
European Spanish: impedimento
French: obstacle
German: Hindernis
Italian: ostacolo
Japanese: 妨害
Korean: 장애물
European Portuguese: obstáculo
Latin American Spanish: impedimento
(noun)
Definition
a hindrance or obstruction
There is no legal impediment to the marriage.
Synonyms
obstacle
Overcrowding remains a large obstacle to improving conditions.
barrier
Duties and taxes are the most obvious barriers to free trade.
check
There is a check on the number of people allowed in the venue.
bar
one of the fundamental bars to communication
block
a block to peace
difficulty
The main difficulty has been getting enough students to try out the scheme.
hazard
curb
snag
A police crackdown hit a snag when villains stole one of their cars.
obstruction
Americans viewed the army as an obstruction to legitimate economic development.
stumbling block
Perhaps the major stumbling block is the military presence.
hindrance
Higher rates have been a hindrance to economic recovery.