hamper

Compared meaning: to make something harder to do (verb).

比较义项：妨碍、阻碍（使某事变得更难做到）（动词）。

• handicap

  Stresses putting someone at a lasting disadvantage against others, especially in ability or competition (an injury, lack of skill); more formal and used less often than hamper in everyday speech.

  强调使某人在能力或竞争方面处于持续的不利地位（例如伤病、技能不足）；语气比 hamper 更正式，日常口语中使用频率较低。

  Her lack of experience handicapped her against far more seasoned competitors.

  她的经验不足使她在与经验丰富得多的对手竞争时处于不利地位。

• hamper 本词

  Stresses slowing down or getting in the way of an activity, effort, or process, often because of an external circumstance like weather or traffic; common and neutral in everyday use.

  强调因外部因素（如天气、交通）而拖慢或阻碍某项活动、努力或过程；用法常见，语气中性，日常场合广泛使用。

  Heavy traffic will hamper our efforts to reach the airport on time.

  严重的交通拥堵将妨碍我们按时赶到机场。

Handicap and hamper both mean to make something harder to do. Handicap stresses a lasting disadvantage in ability or competition and sounds formal. Hamper stresses slowing or blocking an action from an outside factor and is common, everyday. Their noun meanings are not compared here.

这两个词在该义项中都表示「使某事变得更难做到」，但 handicap 更强调使某人在能力或竞争方面处于持续的不利地位，语气较正式；hamper 更强调因外部因素而拖慢或阻碍某项行动或进程，用法更常见、更口语化。这里不比较 handicap 作名词表示「残疾」或高尔夫运动中「让分」的用法，也不比较 hamper 作名词表示「（带盖的）大篮子、食篮」的用法。