hindering: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal to Neutral
Quick answer
What does “hindering” mean?
Acting as a barrier or obstacle to progress, movement, or development.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Acting as a barrier or obstacle to progress, movement, or development; preventing something from happening or making it more difficult.
Can imply slowing down a process, creating an impediment, or thwarting an action, often through active interference or unfavorable circumstances.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical, but British English may be slightly more likely to use "hindering" in formal contexts where AmE might use "slowing down" or "getting in the way of."
Connotations
Generally neutral-negative, describing an undesirable interference. In legal or official contexts, it can have serious connotations (e.g., hindering an investigation).
Frequency
More frequent in formal written contexts in both varieties; common in academic, legal, and business prose.
Grammar
How to Use “hindering” in a Sentence
hindering + of + NOUN (the hindering of progress)hindering + to + GERUND (a hindering to achieving)BE + hindering + OBJECT (The weather was hindering us.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hindering” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The persistent rain is hindering the rescue team's efforts.
- She felt the outdated regulations were hindering her business.
American English
- High costs are hindering the project's development.
- He didn't want to say anything that might hinder her recovery.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"Bureaucratic red tape is hindering our expansion into new markets."
Academic
"The lack of reliable data is hindering a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon."
Everyday
"This heavy traffic is really hindering our journey."
Technical
"Friction is the force hindering the motion of the sliding components."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hindering”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hindering”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hindering”
- Using 'hindering to' + base verb (incorrect: *hindering to go). Correct: hindering + object (hindering our go) or hindering + gerund (hindering our going).
- Overusing in informal speech where 'slowing down' or 'getting in the way of' is more natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'hindering' can describe an effect, not necessarily an intent. Circumstances (e.g., bad weather) can be hindering without any conscious actor.
'Hindering' means to make something slower or more difficult, while 'preventing' means to stop it from happening altogether.
Extremely rarely. Its core meaning is negative obstruction. A possible positive twist might be ironic or specific, e.g., 'hindering a criminal's escape'.
Very close, but 'hampering' often implies a more tangible, encumbering obstruction (like ropes hampering movement), while 'hindering' can be more abstract.
Acting as a barrier or obstacle to progress, movement, or development.
Hindering is usually formal to neutral in register.
Hindering: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɪn.dər.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɪn.dɚ.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A hindrance rather than a help”
- “To throw a spanner in the works (UK) / To throw a wrench in the works (US) – a more vivid idiom for hindering”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HIND (a female deer) standing stubbornly in the road, REFUSING to move, thereby HINDERING your car's progress.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROGRESS IS A JOURNEY / FLOW; HINDERING IS BLOCKING A PATH / CREATING FRICTION.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'hindering' INCORRECTLY?