Synonyms for handicap
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Impediment
impediment, hindrance, hinderance, check, balk US, baulk UK, deterrent
2. Disability
disability, impairment, disablement formal
Other
hand-in-cap dated
Definitions
- n. 1
Something that prevents, hampers, or hinders.
- n. 2
An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race (or other contest of skill) to the competitor possessing disadvantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success.
A handicap in chess often involves removal of the queen's rook.
Related words
- Word family
- handicapism
Forms
- Plural
- handicaps → impediments, hindrances, hinderances, checks…
Example sentences
- impediment Impatience is a definite impediment to success.
- hindrance Those new rules were more of a hindrance than a help.
- disability Fadil used Layla's disability to make her suffer.
- impairment Yanni's visual impairment makes him more vulnerable.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| handicap | falling | |
| impediment | steady | |
| hindrance | steady | |
| balk | rising | |
| hinderance | falling | |
| disability | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- balk1
- 5 letters
- check1, baulk
- 9 letters
- deterrent3, hindrance2
- 10 letters
- disability5, impairment3, impediment4, hinderance
- 11 letters
- disablement
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (deterrent3 = 3 syllables).