encumberverb [ T ]
uk/ɪnˈkʌm.bər/us/ɪnˈkʌm.bɚ/formalto weigh someone or something down, or to make it difficult for someone to do something:
Today, thankfully, women tennis players are not encumbered with/by long, heavy skirts and high-necked blouses.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Preventing and impeding
- avert
- avoid
- avoidable
- bar
- be a drag on sb/sth idiom
- block sth out
- blot
- bottleneck
- derail
- fireproof
- hold out on sb
- hold sb/sth back
- holding pattern
- impede
- impedimenta
- prevention is better than cure idiom
- preventive
- prohibit
- pull
- pull the rug from under sb's feet idiom
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Causing difficulties for oneself or others
encumbrance
noun [ C ] uk/ɪnˈkʌm.brəns/us/ɪnˈkʌm.brəns/
something that encumbers you:
When you're walking 30 miles a day, the fewer encumbrances the better.