2 syllables: hind, rance. Stress on hind.
/ˈhɪndɹəns/
Say it backHindrance refers to something that impedes progress or makes an action more difficult. It denotes an obstacle or barrier that slows or obstructs a process, achievement, or forward movement, often requiring effort to overcome. In everyday use, it can describe physical obstacles, bureaucratic delays, or mental factors that hinder success.
"The rain was a hindrance to the rescue operation, delaying the response."
"Language barriers can be a hindrance when traveling in a foreign country."
"Red tape is a major hindrance for small businesses trying to obtain permits."
Hindrance is pronounced /ˈhaɪndrəns/ in US/UK/AU accents. The stress sits on the first syllable: HYND-ruhns. Start with the long I vowel in the first syllable, then a light schwa in the second syllable, followed by the /n/ and the final /s/. Think: 'HYND' as in 'hide' with an n, then 'rance' with a soft, reduced vowel. Audio references: refer to Cambridge/Oxford pronunciations or Forvo for native examples.
Common mistakes: (1) Releasing the second syllable as a full vowel instead of a schwa, producing HYND-rayns. (2) Slurring or mispronouncing the /dr/ cluster as /d/ + /r/ with a weak linking, like HYND-ruhs. (3) Misplacing the primary stress, saying hindr-ance with mis-stress or breaking the syllable awkwardly. Correction: keep /ˈhaɪn/ as the stressed onset and reduce the second syllable to /drəns/ with a clear /dr/ sequence, finishing with /əns/ or /rəns/ depending on the accent. Practice with careful mouth-positioning and slowed articulation.
Across accents, the initial /haɪn/ is consistent, but rhoticity and vowel quality vary. In US, /ˈhaɪndrəns/ with rhotic r-like influence in rapid speech can slightly vocalize the r-less ending. In UK, non-rhotic tendencies may keep a lighter /ə/ and crisper /dr/; the vowel in the second syllable often remains a schwa. In Australian English, vowel quality tends toward broader, less centralized schwa and a slightly wider lip rounding on the first syllable. Overall, the core vowels and the /dr/ cluster remain stable, but the degree of rhoticity and vowel coloring impact the overall timbre.
The difficulty lies in the /ˈhaɪn/ onset and the /ndrə/ sequence. The long I requires a high-front vowel transition, followed swiftly by an alveolar nasal and the tricky /dr/ cluster that can blur with the following /ə/ sound. Keeping the tense tongue and precise alveolar contact for /d/ and /r/ in close sequence challenges non-native speakers. Additionally, the reduced second syllable /rəns/ can be mispronounced as /renz/ or /rands/. Focused practice on the /ndr/ cluster and stable schwa placement helps solidify accuracy.
What’s unique about hindrance is the way the /nd/ combines with the /r/ in rapid speech, producing a subtle /ndrə/ transition. You’ll often hear the second syllable reduce to a quick /drə/ in casual speech, so the word can sound like /ˈhaɪn.drənz/ in very fast talk. Pay attention to keeping /nd/ clear before the /r/ and avoid letting the /dr/ become /drɹ/ or overly rolled. IPA guidance helps: /ˈhaɪndrəns/—mark the brief schwa and a clean /dr/ onset.
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Hindrance comes from the verb hinder, meaning to impede or obstruct, with the suffix -ance forming a noun that denotes the result or thing that hinders. The word can be traced to Middle English hinderen, itself from Old English hindan 'to hold back, restrain' with related Germanic roots. The form evolved through Middle English where the -ance suffix started to produce abstract nouns denoting state or condition. Over time, hindrance acquired a formal sense of a factor that slows progress, not merely a physical block. First known uses appear in English texts in the late Middle Ages, with the concept repeatedly appearing in legal and logistical contexts where delays and obstacles mattered. The word has maintained a consistent core meaning—an impediment or obstruction—while expanding into metaphorical uses (social, bureaucratic, psychological) in modern English. The evolution reflects a shift from concrete obstruction to more abstract impediments, preserving the essential sense of something that prevents or delays forward motion.
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Words that rhyme with "hindrance"
-nce sounds
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