impediment
Barrier to advancement
An impediment is something that hinders or obstructs progress.
A speech impediment makes speaking difficult.
Legal impediments prevent marriage or contracts.
The word suggests an obstacle that slows rather than completely blocks: His lack of formal education was no impediment to his success.
In the plural, impedimenta refers to baggage or equipment that encumbers movement.
Complete closure or blockage
- blockageObstruction halting movement
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
- thrombosisClot forming in vessel
- embolismObstruction in blood vessel
clot · stenosis · stricture · plaque · congestion · coagulation · artery · vein
Obstruction preventing passage
- blockadeSealing off a place
- roadblockObstruction across a road
- barricadeObstacle blocking a path
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
bottleneck · logjam · gridlock · chokepoint · dam · clog · congestion · deadlock
Authoritative legal ban
- banOfficial restriction on something
- embargoOfficial prohibition on trade
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- restrictionLimit on action
injunction · moratorium · veto · interdict · proscription · bar · restraint · stricture
Something blocking the way
- hindranceBarrier to progress
- handicapImposed competitive disadvantage
- setbackReverse in progress
- constraintLimiting condition or rule
limitation · restriction · drawback · difficulty · complication · interference · encumbrance · inhibition
Involuntary speech repetition
- stammerSpeak with involuntary repetitions
- lispSibilant pronunciation difficulty
- dysarthriaMotor speech muscle disorder
- aphasiaNeurological language impairment
apraxia · slurring · articulation · fluency · pronunciation · disfluency · muteness · cluttering
occlusion
Complete closure or blockage
- blockageObstruction halting movement
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
- thrombosisClot forming in vessel
embolism · clot · stenosis · stricture · plaque · congestion · coagulation · artery · vein · constriction
barrier
Obstruction preventing passage
obstruction · bottleneck · logjam · gridlock · chokepoint · dam · clog · congestion · deadlock · standstill
prohibition
Authoritative legal ban
- banOfficial restriction on something
- embargoOfficial prohibition on trade
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
restriction · injunction · moratorium · veto · interdict · proscription · bar · restraint · stricture · constraint
obstacle
Something blocking the way
constraint · limitation · restriction · drawback · difficulty · complication · interference · encumbrance · inhibition · frustration
stutter
Involuntary speech repetition
- stammerSpeak with involuntary repetitions
- lispSibilant pronunciation difficulty
- dysarthriaMotor speech muscle disorder
aphasia · apraxia · slurring · articulation · fluency · pronunciation · disfluency · muteness · cluttering · phonological
- burdensburden, load, onus, obligations, weight
- delaysdelays, delay, delayed, postponement, postpone
- negative effectsdamage, harm, loss, drawback, disadvantage
- obstaclesbarriers, block, obstacles, barrier, blockers
- restrictionsban, bans, limits, limit, restrictions
- setbacksfailing, back to square one, stuck, losing, stumbles
impedimentaid
Support given freely
help · assistance · facilitation · catalyst · boost
- speech impedimentDifficulty producing clear sounds