hinder the understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hinder the understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing factors or actions that obstruct or impede comprehension of a subject or concept. Example: "The complex terminology used in the report may hinder the understanding of the main findings for the general audience."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The variety and complexity of the cryptographic protocols hinder the understanding and hence the adoption of these mechanisms in practical applications.

Journal of Information Security and Applications

However, technical difficulty to isolate and characterize these progenitor types due to the complex lung structure continues to hinder the understanding of the role of endogenous regenerative pathways in lung tissue maintenance and repair in response to injuries.

Clinical and Translational Medicine

The finding that conceptual biases which hinder the understanding of natural selection exist since early childhood is a common one (Samarapungavan and Wiers 1997; Kelemen 1999; Bloom and Weisberg 2007; Shtulman and Schulz 2008; Sinatra et al. 2008; Gregory 2009).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

The absence of a common terminology and structured knowledge organization can hinder the understanding of studies' contexts, making the studies harder to analyze and compare as well as aggregating the results from similar studies.

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

The often subjective and arbitrary naming of neurons led to a cluttered literature landscape in which breakdowns in communication can hinder the understanding of the structure and function of the brain.

Brain Informatics

As a consequence, they are in a singular position and are responsible for observing and studying the obstacles that hinder the understanding of evolution and for proposing innovative techniques to answer the challenge.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Failure to maintain the essential distinction between source and parallel has greatly hindered the understanding of the true nature of medieval romance and has led to the production of a vast critical literature the relevance of which to the study of the genre is at best questionable.

Encyclopedia Britannica

However, the great diversity of agent-oriented modeling languages (AOMLs) hinders the understanding and interchange of MAS models.

Computer Standards & Interfaces

Despite considerable debate in the past, their technical complexity and elaborate design have always hindered the understanding of their method of production.

Journal of Archaeological Science

Nevertheless, there is a lack of comparative studies with statistical analysis, sufficient sample sizes, and large geographic range, which hinders the understanding and decision-making of how and where to intervene (Nehm 2006; Lloyd-Strovas and Bernal 2012).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

These views have historically hindered the understanding of mammalian evolution and the evolution of strepsirrhine traits, such as their reliance on smell (olfaction), characteristics of their skeletal anatomy, and their brain size, which is relatively small.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider stronger verbs like "obstruct" or "impede" if you want to emphasize the severity of the impediment to comprehension.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "hinder the understanding" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "make it harder to understand" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hinder the understanding" functions as a verbal phrase that describes an action or process that negatively affects comprehension. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is correct and usable in written English. It typically requires a subject that performs the hindering action and an object that represents what is being understood.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hinder the understanding" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that conveys the obstruction of comprehension. As indicated by Ludwig, it's suitable for formal to neutral contexts. While there are alternative phrases like "impede comprehension" or "obstruct understanding", choosing the best fit depends on the specific nuance required. When using "hinder the understanding", ensure the context clearly indicates what is causing the obstruction to maintain clarity. It is more prevalent in scientific and academic writing. In informal contexts, consider more straightforward alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

impede comprehension

Replaces "hinder" with a direct synonym, maintaining the core meaning of obstructing understanding.

obstruct understanding

Similar to "impede comprehension", this phrase uses "obstruct" to convey the idea of blocking understanding.

undermine comprehension

Changes the verb to "undermine", suggesting a weakening or destabilizing of comprehension rather than a direct block.

blur the understanding

Uses a metaphor to describe the effect on understanding, suggesting it becomes less clear.

cloud the understanding

Similar to "blur the understanding", this metaphor evokes a sense of confusion or lack of clarity.

limit the understanding

Focuses on restricting or reducing the scope of understanding, rather than completely blocking it.

affect the understanding

A more general phrase that indicates an influence on understanding, without specifying the direction.

complicate the understanding

Suggests that something makes understanding more complex or difficult, rather than directly hindering it.

damage the understanding

Implies a more severe and lasting negative impact on understanding.

impair the knowledge

The noun changes from "understanding" to "knowledge", but maintaining the core concept of negative affected learning.

FAQs

What does "hinder the understanding" mean?

The phrase "hinder the understanding" means to obstruct, impede, or make comprehension more difficult. It suggests something is preventing or slowing down the process of understanding.

What can I say instead of "hinder the understanding"?

You can use alternatives like "impede comprehension", "obstruct understanding", or "limit the understanding" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "hinder understanding" or "hinder the understanding"?

While both are technically correct, "hinder the understanding" is more common and grammatically complete. "Hinder understanding" might be used in more concise or telegraphic writing.

What kind of things can "hinder the understanding" of a topic?

Many things can "hinder the understanding" of a topic, including complex jargon, lack of background knowledge, poor explanations, or biases. These factors create obstacles to comprehension.