ENCUMBRANCE Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

encumbrance

noun

in-ˈkəm-brən(t)s

Definition of encumbrance

as in obstacle

something that makes movement or progress difficult without the encumbrance of a heavy backpack, I could sprint along the trail

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of encumbrance According to the report, the district’s encumbrance clerk and superintendent secretary, Stacey Benard, issued fraudulent checks to herself totaling $9,621. — Beth Wallis, StateImpact, 19 Mar. 2026 The City of Boca Raton lost because the lease itself became the encumbrance. — Stacy Sipple, Sun Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2026 Still, Sabbath sounded amazing, the band’s distinctive vibe of limitless cosmic encumbrance, of Man squirming under the thumb of Fate, God, madness—the essential heavy-metal vision—somehow magnified by the venerable wobbliness of its playing. — James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025 Coppola, who has been directing movies since 1963, voices his frustrations with the technical and material encumbrances that inhere in the conventional, professional way of working. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for encumbrance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbrance

Noun

Amazon Watch, a nonprofit focused on environmental protection and Indigenous rights, also welcomed Lula’s victory while warning of legislative obstacles.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Still, around 42% of marketers (linked in the Mediaocean research above) say that getting good quality data (or being able to access it) is a major obstacle, and only 10% have all their ad technology systems fully integrated.

— Ivan Guzenko, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstacle

Noun

That's good news for home shoppers, but may not be enough to overcome the affordability hurdles keeping many prospective homebuyers out of the market.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
On Wednesday, the Republican House speaker acknowledged his party’s hurdles while stumping for congressional candidate Kevin Lincoln in Stockton in the Central Valley.

— Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of hurdle

Noun

Riverdale In Riverdale, three candidates filed to run for mayor, including former Trustee Cassandra Riley-Pinkney, who was appointed interim mayor after former Mayor Lawrence Jackson was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in November.

— Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Don’t hide files or shut down computers; doing so would look like obstruction.

— Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstruction

Noun

Also, keep extra toilet paper visible, your hand soap full and some air freshener on the counter, so everyone can use the bathroom without embarrassment or disgust.

— Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
The league is a farce and an embarrassment to our country, not thier country.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of embarrassment

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encumbers

encumbrance

encumbrances

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Style

“Encumbrance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbrance. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of encumbrance

noun

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