From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishimpedeim‧pede /ɪmˈpiːd/ verb [transitive] PREVENTto make it difficult for someone or something to move forward or make progress Storms at sea impeded our progress.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
impede• Progress has been impeded by a number of economic factors.• Rescue attempts were impeded by the storm.• If Nature herself sought to impede her progress, then resistance was mere pride and folly.• This review is intended to serve essentially as a background to how science and technology can impede or promote development.• Three would involve complex skeletal and muscular problems tending to impede rather than improve mobility.• In fact, the use of these drugs may even impede the patient's recovery.• To proceed without doing so would give rise to conflicts of interest which could impede the proper performance of his duties.• In 1965 members of parliament regretted that the separation of children into different types of secondary schools impeded the raising of standards.• Widespread wage reductions were imposed during the recession of 1906-9 and price inflation thereafter impeded the recovery of real wage levels.Origin impede (1500-1600) Latin impedire, from pes “foot” 