To hamper means to get in the way of something or make it harder to do. If you're trying to finish your homework but your little brother keeps interrupting you, he's hampering your progress. Heavy rain can hamper a search and rescue effort by making it difficult to see or move quickly through the area.

The word suggests obstacles or difficulties that slow things down rather than stopping them completely. A sprained ankle might hamper a runner's performance without preventing them from finishing the race. Thick fog can hamper visibility on the road, making drivers slow down and proceed carefully.

Notice that hampering is usually unintentional: the fog isn't trying to cause problems, it just does. But people can also deliberately hamper something, like when someone hampers an investigation by refusing to share important information.

A hamper is also a large basket used for carrying or storing things, especially dirty laundry. You toss your clothes into a laundry hamper until it's time to wash them.