hamper 1 of 2

hamper

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb hamper contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of hamper are clog, fetter, manacle, shackle, and trammel. While all these words mean "to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting," hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

When is it sensible to use clog instead of hamper?

The meanings of clog and hamper largely overlap; however, clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

In what contexts can fetter take the place of hamper?

The synonyms fetter and hamper are sometimes interchangeable, but fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

How is shackle related to other words for hamper?

Both shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice
a people manacled by tyranny

When could trammel be used to replace hamper?

While in some cases nearly identical to hamper, trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

Examples 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 hamper
Verb
Plus, Henry is likely hampered for being too good too consistently for so long that his market simply remains flat. Larry Holder, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025 Wildfire legal battles:Eaton Fire blamed on utility company, lawsuit alleges Governor announces probe into water system failures during fire Newsom announced an independent investigation into water mobility issues that reportedly hampered firefighting efforts. Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
The celebrity chef's gourmet hamper is stuffed with treats directly from his deli in Padstow. Irenie Forshaw, The Week Uk, theweek, 2 Dec. 2024 Another night, at Ampersand Estates, outside Pemberton, my farmhouse was provisioned with a hamper fit for a king’s picnic. Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hamper 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamper
Verb
  • As homeowners turn to contractors for the slow process of rebuilding, an immigration policy that deports undocumented workers or forces them underground may hinder the recovery.
    Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025
  • This detachment can hinder the development of relationship security, which is essential for building healthy relationships in adulthood.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The main ranch house harbored a Native American rug collection and baskets and works by painters Edward Borein and Charles Marion Russell.
    R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
  • After De La Salle opened the third quarter with a 13-5 surge to cut a 10-point halftime deficit down to two, Rice settled things down for the Vikings with an inside basket.
    Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Walker, in fact, explains that one of the by-products of alcohol metabolism is a class of chemicals, known as aldehydes, that are especially prone to impede REM sleep.
    Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
  • These teams all have franchise players to build around and some contracts that would impede them from fully committing to the tear-down process.
    Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Our fabulous intuition suggests the man holding the bag, will be CBS’ rules analyst Gene Steratore.
    Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Police believed Coleman-Clark was referring to the bags.
    Jason Green, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • There’s a pesky column at the corner, which manages to just barely obstruct sightlines — though perhaps this has meaning of its own, revealing a potential non-linguistic barrier between us and them, while also helping to give the classroom its necessary claustrophobic tension.
    Christian Lewis, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Just 30 minutes after being injected with microplastics, blood flow could be obstructed in the mice's brains.
    Hatty Willmoth, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • And anyone who lived through the aughts will recognize True Religion’s telltale stitching across the back pockets of his baggy, low-slung jeans.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Along with the collar and cuffs, the tartan pattern was also seen on the buttons and lining of the pockets on Queen Camilla’s coat dress.
    Julia Teti, WWD, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But the fanbases of those games are not buying it, and have undergone a campaign to embarrass Musk as much as possible about his claims, dragging him into childish internet fights.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
  • And, yes, some justices should also regret embarrassing the court by needlessly attracting attention to their ethics.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The fourth-year pass rusher out of Penn State became just the second player in NFL history (Reggie White) with 12 or more sacks in each of his first four seasons after finishing with exactly 12 in 2024.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Jan. 2025
  • In the 16 games that the starters played this season, the Chiefs’ Week 11 game at Buffalo was the only one in which KC didn’t record a sack.
    Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near hamper

Cite this Entry

“Hamper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamper. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

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