hinderlich

Hinderlich is an adjective in the German language used to describe something that hinders or presents obstacles. It is formed from the verb hindern (to hinder) with the suffix -lich, and is related to the nouns Hinderlichkeit (hindrance) and Hindernis (obstacle). The sense encompasses actions, conditions, or factors that impede progress, performance, or implementation, rather than merely being difficult. In usage, hinderlich emphasizes the obstacle-causing quality of a condition, rather than its emotional or subjective impression.

In formal or analytical writing, hinderlich is commonly used to characterize policies, procedures, or circumstances that complicate a goal. Examples include "hinderliche Vorschriften" (burdensome regulations), "hinderliche Umstände" (hindering circumstances), or "die Verzögerung ist hinderlich" (the delay is hindering). It can modify nouns attributively ("eine hinderliche Verzögerung", "hinderliche Bürokratie") or be used predicatively.

Related terms include Hinderlichkeit (the state of hindrance) and Hindernis (an obstacle). The term is primarily attested in German-language sources and is less common in casual speech. It is distinct from but related to synonyms such as behindernd or hemmend that also express hindrance, with hinderlich often emphasizing the obstacle itself rather than the actor.