Vocabulary in context
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Encumbrance
A burden or impediment that weighs down progress; in law, a claim or restriction on a property that affects its transfer.
noun💡
Imagine This
Picture yourself climbing a staircase with a heavy backpack full of rocks. Each step is slower because the encumbrance on your back weighs you down. In a legal scenario, imagine a house with a stubborn chain attached to its title—an encumbrance that prevents a clean sale until debts are resolved.
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Sounds Like
en-KUHM-bruhns
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Looks Like
burden, hindrance; resembles encumber (verb)
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Remember This
Encumbrance comes from a word meaning to burden or weigh down; it can refer to a general obstacle as well as a formal legal claim on property.
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Other Forms
encumberverb
encumberedadjective
encumberingverb
encumbrancesnoun
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Connect With
burden, hindrance, obstacle, liability, lien, property restriction
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Note
Be careful not to confuse encumbrance with a simple obstacle or nuisance. In law, an encumbrance is a binding claim (like a lien or mortgage) that limits how property can be used or transferred.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The debt was an encumbrance on her finances, making it difficult to save.
- A lien on the property created an encumbrance that prevented sale until the loan was repaid.
Synonyms
burdenimpedimenthindranceobstacleliability
Antonyms
assetadvantageunencumbered
Etymology
From Old French encombrance 'burden, hindrance,' from en- 'in' + combre / combrer meaning 'to burden' (related to encumber).
Mnemonic
EN-CUM-BRANCE: Remember that encumbrance comes from encumber, meaning to burden. The 'cum' suggests 'with' (with burden), reinforcing that an encumbrance is a weight or constraint that comes with something.
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Debacle
nounA sudden and complete failure or fiasco; a chaotic collapse of a plan or event
Collaborative
adjectiveRelating to or accomplished through collaboration; involving two or more people or groups working together toward a shared goal.
Emphatic
adjectiveUttered with emphasis; expressed or done with strong force or clear conviction.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
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