Word of the day, Encumbrance Our word of the day from The Arbiter is Encumbrance Meaning of Encumbrance It's a noun that means a burden, obstacle, or hindrance that makes progress difficult. Synonyms of encumbrance *Obstruction * Liability *Barrier *Constraint *Impediment READ ALSO: Word of the day, Peril Pronunciation of encumbrance in-KUM-brən-siz Example from The Arbiter Such an atmosphere brings its own peculiar problems—not just imprisonment at home, flooding, erosion, or destruction of roads and houses, but physical encumbrances in general. Please share with us a sentence with the word 'encumbrance'. Let's see how well you understand it.