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

There’s outward social and internalized pressure on the Dashwood sisters to marry, and do it quickly, but per any Austen tale, the path is blotchy and blocked by obstacles and second-guessing.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
During robot operation, LiDAR supplies information about the surrounding environment, helping the framework account for obstacles and available clearance.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstacle

Noun

Our main hurdle has always been convincing people to pay for a cinema ticket to watch two episodes of a series.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Most of the K-pop festivals that have been announced over the last few years never went ahead due to various logistical hurdles.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of hurdle

Noun

What about art that makes one cringe with embarrassment at its existence?

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Chronicling the hyper-niche behaviors that define our online existence, Berlant describes the seemingly inescapable embarrassment of wasting one’s life away in an endless scroll.

— Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of embarrassment

Browse Nearby Words

encumbers

encumbrance

encumbrances

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“Encumbrance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbrance. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of encumbrance

noun

Example Sentences

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