Word: impede (verb)

Associations

"Impede" means to slow down or block the progress of something. It is often used when something makes a process or action more difficult or delayed.

• The heavy traffic can impede emergency vehicles. Here, "impede" shows that traffic slows down ambulances or fire trucks.
• Poor weather conditions may impede construction work. This means bad weather can delay or stop building projects.
• Lack of funds can impede the development of new technology. This means not having enough money can slow down progress. A well-known synonym is "hinder." The difference is that "impede" often suggests a physical or stronger obstacle, while "hinder" can be less direct or weaker in meaning.

Substitution

Other words you can use instead of "impede" are:

• hinder (to make something more difficult)
• obstruct (to block something completely or partially)
• delay (to cause something to happen later than planned) Each word changes the meaning slightly: "obstruct" is stronger than "impede," and "delay" focuses more on time.

Deconstruction

"Impede" comes from Latin "impedire," where "im-" means "in" or "on," and "ped" means "foot." So, it literally means "to put a foot in the way," or to block someone's steps. This helps understand why "impede" means to block or slow down progress.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when something impeded your plans?
• How is "impede" different from just "delay" in your experience?
• What kinds of things could impede learning a new language?