hindrance

/ˈhɪndɹəns/

//ˈhɪndɹəns// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"hindrance" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hindrance” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #28,581. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#28,581
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Something which hinders: something that holds back or causes problems with something else.

Corpus desk

Index EN-hindrance · hindrance · English

hindrance · rank #28,581 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #28,581
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH hibernation

Nearest frequency peer: hibernation (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “hindrance”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “hindrance” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for hindrance
PropertyValue
Headwordhindrance
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɪndɹəns/
Letters9
Frequency rank#28,581
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “hindrance”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).hindrancelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “hibernation” (#28,580), “Hemsworth” (#28,579), “hula” (#28,583). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “hindrance” is #28,581. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around hindrance (IPA /ˈhɪndɹəns/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #28,581 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for hindrance, with forms such as "hhindrance", "hidnrance", and "hindarnce". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English hinderance, hinderaunce, hindraunce, hynderaunce, hynderawnce, hynderawns, hyndrance; equivalent to hinder + -ance. The correct English form is hindrance, spelled H-I-N-D-R-A-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something which hinders: something that holds back or causes problems with something else.
  2. 2
    The state or act of hindering something.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how hindrance appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. High-heeled shoes may be fashionable, but they can also be a hindrance to walking.
  2. The L.C.C. [London County Council] considers viaducts in London objectionable and a hindrance to town planning and would like to abolish all the Southern Railway lines on viaducts in South London. [Nothing much happened, they still exist.]

Etymology

From Middle English hinderance, hinderaunce, hindraunce, hynderaunce, hynderawnce, hynderawns, hyndrance; equivalent to hinder + -ance.

Synonyms

bardragbarrierbone in the throatbump in the roadhindranceimpedimentobstructionobstacleencumbrancehurdleroadblockstumbling blockhitch

This word in other languages

obstáculo(Español)entrave(Français)Behinderung(Deutsch)obstáculo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hhindrance
  • hidnrance
  • hindarnce
  • hinddrance
  • hindracne
  • hindrancce
  • hindranec
  • hindrannce
  • hindrence
  • hindrnace
  • hindrrance
  • hinndrance
  • hinrdance
  • hnidrance
  • ihndrance

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of hindrance - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

hhindrance1hidnrance2hindarnce2hinddrance1hindracne2hindrancce1hindranec2hindrannce1
Edit distance from "hindrance"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hindrance"?
"hindrance" is spelled H-I-N-D-R-A-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɪndɹəns/.
What does "hindrance" mean?
As a noun, "hindrance" means: Something which hinders: something that holds back or causes problems with something else.
What are common misspellings of "hindrance"?
Common misspellings include "hhindrance", "hidnrance", "hindarnce", "hinddrance", "hindracne". The correct spelling is "hindrance".
How do you pronounce "hindrance"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hindrance" is /ˈhɪndɹəns/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "hindrance"?
From Middle English hinderance, hinderaunce, hindraunce, hynderaunce, hynderawnce, hynderawns, hyndrance; equivalent to hinder + -ance. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "hindrance", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Hemsworth#28,579inanimate#28,592innovator#28,597formatted#28,554

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

healthiest15 variantsexorbitant15 variantseucalyptus15 variantsoptimizing15 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list