encumbered

encumbered — verb

1. to make it hard for someone or something to move, work, or make progress, becaus

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make it hard for someone or something to move, work, or make progress, because of a heavy physical load or a difficult problem they must deal with

例句

After the storm, Yuki's boots were encumbered by thick mud that made every step exhausting.

passive: be encumbered by [physical substance]

The small clinic was encumbered with so much debt that it could barely afford new medicine.

collocation: encumbered with debt

同義詞
  • burden

    More common and less formal than 'encumbered'; can be used in both physical and figurative senses. 'Burden' also works in active voice naturally ('The debt burdened the company').

  • weigh down

    Phrasal verb, slightly more informal; emphasises the feeling of heaviness or pressure ('Weighed down by guilt').

  • hamper

    Focuses more on preventing movement or progress than on the weight itself ('Hampered by a lack of funding').

反義詞
  • unburden

    To remove a burden or load, either physically ('unburdened the donkey') or emotionally ('unburdened his worries').

  • free

    To release from restriction or obligation; much broader in meaning.

文法句型

be + encumbered + by/with + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently appears in the passive voice (be encumbered by/with). The active form (e.g. 'Debt encumbers the company') exists but is much rarer; learners should prefer the passive pattern for natural-sounding English.

常見錯誤

❌The backpack encumbered me' (active, uncommon).
✅I was encumbered by the heavy backpack.
💡The passive form 'be encumbered by/with' sounds more natural and is far more common.
❌Encumbered of debt' (wrong preposition).
✅Encumbered with debt' or 'encumbered by debt.
💡Use 'with' for the thing carried; use 'by' for the agent causing the burden.