1
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the claim that all of these regulations encumber doctors, taking time away from the actual practice of medicine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to load
to place a weight or burden on
don't encumber your pack animal so much that it can hardly move
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encumber
As with other good car designs that endured well beyond their 1960s-era prime, the Type 14 eventually became encumbered by massive rubber bumpers and oversized taillamps by 1973, though even these later models retain their charm.
—
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025
Some 60% of the world’s GDP is encumbered by debt to GDP of 100% or more, and untypically large deficits in the context of a business cycle expansion phase.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The block is encumbered with three ground leases.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
The land is thus financially encumbered and won’t be availble to be leased or sold until 2031 or after.
—Eric Adler
august 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encumber
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025
Some 60% of the world’s GDP is encumbered by debt to GDP of 100% or more, and untypically large deficits in the context of a business cycle expansion phase.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The block is encumbered with three ground leases.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
The land is thus financially encumbered and won’t be availble to be leased or sold until 2031 or after.
—Eric Adler
august 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encumber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumber
Verb
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The indictment includes the conspiracy count, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in federal prison, as well as several other counts of forcibly impeding a federal officer, each punishable by up to one year in federal prison.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Castle has become nearly impossible to impede.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In their second trips to the plate in the fourth inning, Caglianone singled, Collins was hit by a pitch, and Isbel bunted for a single to load the bases.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
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Ripa had a brutally honest response locked and loaded.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Others blame social media for hindering crew members from socializing—and carousing—together.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Awardees say the terminations hinder economic progress, not just in their communities but across the state.—
Nora Mabie,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Democratic gubernatorial candidates acknowledged state regulations on business and the environment have burdened farmers and pledged to roll back restrictive policies affecting agriculture.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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Writing for the Court, Gorsuch rejected Jackson’s core argument that Colorado’s law merely regulates professional conduct and only incidentally burdens speech.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The moves have reportedly left the task force without prosecutors with national security experience, hampering its goal to root out American connections to the Hamas attacks (which included 40 Americans among its approximately 1,200 victims).—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For every event that closes, such as the Johannesburg Biennale (held in 1995 and 1997) and the Marrakech Biennale (2004–16), others, like the Lagos Biennial (founded in 2017) and the Stellenbosch Triennial (founded in 2020), emerge to fill the void.—
Smooth Nzewi,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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Hernandez’s supervisors asked her to fill a new role in 2018, a job that did not exist anywhere else in the state.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors said Insua’s view was obstructed by the cargo, a deckhouse and crane on the barge.—
David Goodhue,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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Full-palm tactile sensing allows the robot to continue manipulating objects even when cameras are obstructed or when precise force control is required, such as in assembly tasks.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And when that happens, Jamahl Mosley — a good coach and an even better man — will be the fall guy for a team that is embarrassing itself on a national scale and getting exposed in the league standings.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
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The very existence of Tisch’s relationship and conversations with Epstein, which are not in dispute, should be enough to embarrass the NFL.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumber. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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