ENCUMBRANCES Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

encumbrances

noun

plural of encumbrance

as in obstacles

something that makes movement or progress difficult without the encumbrance of a heavy backpack, I could sprint along the trail

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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 encumbrances On July 10, Charles Pernicka, Solutions’ attorney, replied in writing, providing documents that showed there were no formal encumbrances, such as liens or leases, on the properties’ deeds. — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2026 To Tommy, Anna and Molly are twittering encumbrances, idiotic in their insistence on good works and the good of man, their endless remorseful hedgings about the Communist Party. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 Stopping the train to nowhere funding, using those funds to pay off our federal EDD debt so that businesses can reduce THEIR EDD encumbrances by the 1-5% they’re being charged now. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbrances

Noun

Getting a diagnosis, navigating treatment and paying for care can present obstacles of their own, particularly for patients who face gaps in access to healthcare.

— Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Those are big potential obstacles to Hill returning to the Chiefs.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstacles

Noun

On another front, because red diesel is currently distributed primarily through agricultural cooperatives and specialized fueling hubs, expanding its throughput across mainstream highway truck stops presents immediate operational hurdles.

— , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Textile-to-textile recycling may still face technology hurdles, but its biggest obstacle to scale is increasingly financial.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of hurdles

Noun

Sitting around a table in the soundstage where the pilot for I Love Lucy was filmed, the six of them tailored the roles to the actors and infused the script with arguments, embarrassments, and confessions from their own relationships.

— Eliana Dockterman, Time, 26 June 2026
The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026

Definition of embarrassments

Noun

All suites on the second floor come without steps and barriers (and spacious bathrooms but not specifically adapted with accessibility features).

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Compliance checks would ensure trading entities maintain informational barriers with their sibling exchange, including the use of separate physical offices.

— Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of barriers

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encumbrance

encumbrances

encyclical

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“Encumbrances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbrances. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of encumbrances

noun

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