incumber

The heavy backpack incumbers the hiker on the steep trail.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To hinder or obstruct: "incumber" means to impede, burden, or cause difficulty, making movement or progress problematic.
   • To weigh down: It can refer to physically loading something heavily, causing it to be slow or unwieldy.
   • To clutter or fill untidily: It describes making a space messy or disordered by placing objects in a way that blocks or crowds.

Usage Examples

• To hinder or obstruct:
  • The heavy backpack incumbered her as she tried to run. (The backpack made running difficult by slowing her down.)
• To weigh down:
  • Financial debts incumbered the family for years. (Debts placed a heavy burden on the family's finances.)
• To clutter or fill untidily:
  • Old furniture incumbered the hallway, making it hard to pass. (The furniture blocked the hallway by being placed messily.)

Advanced Usage

• "to incumber with": to burden someone or something with a specific problem or object.
  • They incumbered the project with unnecessary rules. (They made the project difficult by adding too many regulations.)
• "to be incumbered by": to be hindered or weighed down by something.
  • The athlete was incumbered by a leg injury. (The injury slowed the athlete down.)

Variants and Related Words

• Incumbrance (n): a burden or obstacle that hinders progress.
  • The old car was an incumbrance on their trip. (The car was a problem that made the trip harder.)
• Incumbering (adj): causing obstruction or burden.
  • The incumbering boxes filled the garage. (The boxes were blocking the garage.)

Synonyms

• Hinder: to create difficulties that delay or slow progress.
• Burden: to load heavily with something unpleasant or difficult.
• Clutter: to fill a space with things in a disorderly way.

Phrasal Verbs

• Incumber up: to block or fill something completely.
  • They incumbered up the driveway with snow. (They blocked the driveway by piling snow on it.)

Related Idioms

• A millstone around one's neck: a heavy burden or problem that prevents progress (similar to being incumbered).
  • The debt was a millstone around his neck. (The debt was a heavy burden like being incumbered.)