a major impediment to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a major impediment to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant obstacle or barrier that hinders progress or achievement in a particular context. Example: "The lack of funding has become a major impediment to the project's success."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Those costs have become a major impediment to recovery.

The New York Times

A major impediment to minimizing testing is patient expectation.

The New Yorker

A major impediment to wider use is their low ductility.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"This will be a major impediment to Long Island," Dr. Kamer said.

The New York Times

The lack of information is a major impediment to stewardship of the resource.

The Guardian - Opinion

Lack of infrastructure remains a major impediment to the growth of Rwandan film culture.

The New York Times

Politicians offered little help making Italy competitive, and this remains a major impediment to making their gains grow.

The New York Times

The nine women and their supporters accuse Gleason of being a major impediment to resolving the case.

The New York Times - Sports

It also would serve as a major impediment to foreign investment in the Antiguan economy, particularly in high-tech industries".

The New York Times

The American commanders and officials readily describe the havens for insurgents in Pakistan as a major impediment to military operations.

The New York Times

We view development and expansion of these fuels as a major impediment to reaching the nation's climate protection goals.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a major impediment to", ensure the context clearly defines what is being hindered. Be specific about the consequences of this impediment.

Common error

Avoid using "a major impediment to" when describing minor inconveniences. Reserve this phrase for genuinely significant barriers that substantially impact progress or outcomes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a major impediment to" functions as a noun phrase that identifies a significant obstacle or barrier. It is often followed by a noun or gerund, specifying the area being hindered, as illustrated in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a major impediment to" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase that signifies a significant obstacle or barrier. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and provides numerous examples across diverse contexts, including science, news, and formal business. Its frequent appearance in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian underscores its reliability in formal and neutral registers. When employing this phrase, ensure the context clearly identifies the hindered aspect and be mindful of overstating its significance for minor issues. Alternatives such as "a significant obstacle to" or "a substantial barrier to" can offer nuanced variations while maintaining semantic equivalence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant obstacle to

This alternative replaces "impediment" with "obstacle" and "major" with "significant", maintaining the core meaning but using slightly different vocabulary.

a substantial barrier to

This phrase substitutes "impediment" with "barrier" and "major" with "substantial", offering a different but semantically similar construction.

a primary hindrance to

Replaces "impediment" with "hindrance" and "major" with "primary", slightly altering the tone while retaining the core concept.

a key obstacle to

Uses "key" instead of "major" to emphasize the importance of the obstacle, while "obstacle" replaces "impediment".

a critical barrier to

Substitutes "major" with "critical" to highlight the severity of the barrier, keeping "barrier" as a synonym for "impediment".

a serious obstacle to

This alternative uses "serious" to describe the obstacle, offering a slightly different emphasis compared to "major".

a notable impediment to

Replaces "major" with "notable", indicating that the impediment is worth paying attention to.

a considerable obstacle to

Using "considerable" instead of "major" suggests the obstacle is significant in size or impact.

a chief hindrance to

Replaces "impediment" with "hindrance" and "major" with "chief", putting emphasis on the supreme importance of what is hindering.

a prominent barrier to

This phrase uses "prominent" instead of "major", suggesting the barrier is easily noticeable or stands out.

FAQs

How can I use "a major impediment to" in a sentence?

You can use "a major impediment to" to describe something that significantly hinders progress. For example: "The lack of funding is a major impediment to the project's completion."

What are some alternatives to "a major impediment to"?

Alternatives include "a significant obstacle to", "a substantial barrier to", or "a primary hindrance to", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it redundant to say "a major impediment"?

While "impediment" inherently implies a hindrance, using "major" emphasizes the significance of the obstacle. It is not necessarily redundant if you want to stress the severity of the impediment.

What's the difference between "a major impediment to" and "a minor impediment to"?

"A major impediment to" indicates a substantial obstacle that severely hinders progress, while "a minor impediment to" suggests a less significant issue that causes only a slight delay or inconvenience.