hindered

Hindered is the past participle of hinder and an adjective meaning prevented, impeded, or obstructed. It describes a person, process, or condition that faces obstacles or whose progress is slowed. In everyday use, a weather delay can hinder travel, the lack of funding can hinder a project, and policy restrictions can hinder research. The noun form hindrance refers to an obstacle that delays or blocks progress.

Etymology: hinder comes from Old English hindrian, related to hind, "back" or "rear," indicating something that stands in the way.

In science, the term appears in phrases such as steric hindrance, which describes how bulky substituents impede chemical reactions or conformational changes. A hindered rotor is a molecular motion around a bond that is slowed by such steric effects. The concept also appears as hindered diffusion in crowded environments, where transport is slower than in free space.

In law and policy, hindered actions or compliance describe situations where progress is impeded by external factors or procedural obstacles.

Notes: The word is often used with verbs such as hinder, impede, obstruct, or prevent, and its nuance centers on a delay or barrier rather than complete elimination.