hinder
hinder Lexical Profile
hinder Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To create difficulties for someone or something, resulting in delay or obstruction to their progress or accomplishment.
"Severe winter storms may hinder the construction crew from completing the bridge on schedule."
• adjective
Situated at the back or rear; posterior (used purely attributively, especially of paired bodily parts or structural components).
"The beetle used its strong hinder legs to push the ball of soil across the forest floor."
Word Nuance & Usage
Note the pronunciation difference: the verb 'hinder' (to obstruct) is pronounced with a short 'i' (/ˈhɪndər/), whereas the formal or archaic adjective 'hinder' (meaning rear or posterior, as in 'hinder legs') is pronounced with a long 'i' (/ˈhaɪndər/).
• Rhymes for hinder
Word Origin & Etymology
The verb derives from Old English 'hindrian', meaning 'to damage, injure, or keep back', from Proto-Germanic '*hindarōną' (literally 'to put or keep behind'). The adjective comes from Old English 'hinder' (adv.), sharing the same Germanic root as 'hind' and 'behind'.