1
as in disadvantage
a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success
her natural shyness was not a handicap when she played chess
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
her uncomfortable shoes became a handicap on the walking tour of the city, as she often had to sit and rest her sore feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the baseball player's small size did not handicap him in the least
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handicap
Washington Post, 23 June 2017
One man, who has a handicap, had to escape through a window, according to media reports.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, kansascity.com, 21 June 2017
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 7 July 2025
Modern times and social media have handicapped our ability to discern truth even further.
—Lubna Zeidan, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for handicap
Noun
When Britain leaves the EU, British financial services companies would lose the automatic right to operate in all the other 27 EU states, a big handicap.
—Washington Post, 23 June 2017
One man, who has a handicap, had to escape through a window, according to media reports.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, kansascity.com, 21 June 2017
Verb
However, the impact of Fed loosening can be tricky to handicap, considering that the dollar and Treasury yields rose sharply when the central bank last cut in 2024.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 7 July 2025
Modern times and social media have handicapped our ability to discern truth even further.
—Lubna Zeidan, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for handicap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handicap
Noun
-
There are advantages and disadvantages to consider.—
Michael Collins,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Advanced users were given the option of several versions of those models, all of which had advantages and disadvantages.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Highlighting the beauty and peril of open water swimming and the obstacles women continue to face in the pursuit of equality, Vindication Swim has been praised for its vivid portrait of Gleitze as a pioneering trailblazer for women’s open water swimming around the world.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
6 Aug. 2025
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The move by Maxwell, while expected, adds to the obstacles the DOJ must overcome to release grand jury transcripts from Epstein's and Maxwell's cases.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Aug. 2025
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After a development process allegedly hampered by a myriad of technical issues, Alexa+ started rolling out to users' Amazon Echo devices earlier this year, albeit with a limited feature set compared to Amazon's final vision for the product.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Soon after, another hurdle appeared: a recurring inguinal hernia that led to frequent hospital visits, including spending Christmas Day in the emergency room.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Aug. 2025
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Funneling the prescriptions through one particular pharmacy introduces a variety of logistical hurdles and delays.—
Samuel Ganz,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The rescue was made in an area that search teams had attempted to reach the day before, but were hindered by severe weather conditions.—
Jack Albright,
jsonline.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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For a company as vast and diverse as PepsiCo, inconsistency in planning systems can hinder visibility and performance.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Gemma can see barriers that others might not notice and works to reduce and ultimately remove them for her team.—
Nadia Edwards-Dashti,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
It had been crashed into a road barrier near 9750 Hueseman Road.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Ward was arrested in Texas on June 12 and charged with assault on a family member by impeding breathing or circulation, which is a third-degree felony.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Baltimore County is on a list of states, cities, and counties identified by the Justice Department as having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.—
Cale Ahearn,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Winner of the 1989 Academy Award for Documentary Feature, this moving film explores the human stories obscured by statistics, examining the cross-section of identities affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as efforts to combat the stigma, misinformation, and political obstruction that deepened the crisis.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
6 Aug. 2025
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Fain refused to provide records requested by the monitor, constituting an obstruction of transparency and cooperation.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handicap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handicap. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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