What does impede mean?
To impede is to hinder, obstruct, or delay someone’s actions or a process. The word is especially common in formal and professional contexts, where it describes barriers to progress, development, movement, investigation, or communication. “Impede” is typically transitive: something impedes a person, activity, or process. For example, poor infrastructure can impede economic growth, while a locked gate may impede access to a building. The word is more formal and more strongly associated with deliberate or persistent obstacles than general words such as “slow,” but it remains broadly usable in ordinary English. Its related noun, “impediment,” names the obstacle itself, while the verb focuses on the act of making progress difficult. The Latin root connects it cognately to words such as “expedite” and “expedition,” although the modern meanings have developed well beyond their original associations with feet and walking.
verbTo make it difficult for someone to do something or for something to happen. It means to hinder, obstruct, or delay progress or action.
- To make it difficult for someone to do something or for something to happen; hinder or delay.
"Bad weather impeded the progress of the rescue team."
"Thick mud impeded the hikers as they crossed the valley."
"The new regulations may impede businesses trying to expand."
To impede is to put a obstacle in the path of progress—whether literal, as in mud slowing a traveler, or figurative, as in rules delaying a project.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does impede come from?
The English verb “impede” comes from Latin impedire, “to hobble” or “to impede,” formed from a prefix meaning “in” or “into” and a root referring to the foot. The word entered English in the early 17th century in the sense of hindering or blocking. Latin forms related to the same root also developed into English words including “impediment” and, through another Latin formation, “expedite” and “expedition.”
Related word forms
How impede is actually used
Formal and neutral in tone. Commonly used with progress, development, movement, investigation, and similar processes; it often suggests an obstacle that slows or restricts action.
Easily confused with impede
Impede is the verb meaning to hinder or delay; impediment is the noun naming the obstacle that prevents progress.
An impediment is a difficulty or obstacle, whereas impede is the action of making progress difficult.