cumber

Burden or hinder

Cumber means to burden, hinder, or weigh down—to make movement or progress difficult through obstruction or excess.

The word is archaic and literary, surviving mainly in its derivatives: cumbersome (awkward and unwieldy), encumber (to burden or impede), and unencumbered (free of burdens).

Cumbered with worldly cares, she had no time for reflection.

obstruct

hamper

Obstruct or clothes basket

impedeTo obstruct movement
hinderObstruct or delay
blockSolid mass, or impede

bog down · entangle · snarl · restrain · constrain · stymie · thwart · inhibit · cramp · fetter

burden

hindrance

Barrier to progress

impedimentThing that obstructs progress
obstructionSomething blocking the way
weightMeasure of heaviness

load · millstone · albatross · onus · liability · yoke · drag · handicap · ballast · anchor

unwieldy

bulky

Large and awkward to handle

awkwardLacking grace or ease
clunkyAwkward and cumbersome
ponderousAwkwardly heavy or slow

ungainly · lumbering · heavy · hefty · unmanageable · burdensome · clumsy · weighty · massive · unhandy

Opposites

burden vs. relief

cumberrelieve

Lessen pain or burden

lighten · unburden · ease · free · disburden

obstruction vs. facilitation

cumberaid

Support given freely

assist · help · facilitate · further · enable

Family

cumbersome, encumber, encumbrance, unencumbered, encumbered, encumbrances, encumbering, disencumber, encumbers

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G