Hobbling

Hobbling describes the act of moving with difficulty, limping, or walking unevenly, often due to an injury or a physical impediment. It implies a reduced ability to walk normally, resulting in a slower pace and a restricted range of motion. The term can also be used metaphorically to represent something being held back, hampered, or restricted in its progress or function. The severity of hobbling can range from a slight limp to a severely impaired gait, indicating the degree of impairment. It's a visual description of an action that suggests a lack of ease and fluidity in movement, both physically and conceptually.

Hobbling meaning with examples

• After twisting her ankle on the hiking trail, Sarah was forced to hobble back to the trailhead, each step bringing a sharp pang of pain. She leaned heavily on her friend, taking slow, measured steps to avoid further injury and trying to keep her balance.
• The old dog, suffering from arthritis, would hobble across the yard to greet his owner, his legs stiff and movement restricted. The once playful pup now walks with a weary and slow gait as he slowly walks, moving as fast as he is capable of.
• Economic sanctions imposed on the country threatened to hobble its industrial development, limiting access to resources and hindering its ability to compete in the global market. The restrictions made trade harder to succeed, reducing the countries production potential.
• The software update, filled with glitches, continued to hobble the program's performance, leading to frequent crashes and frustrating the users with slowed processes and broken features. The update was a mess and made normal procedures harder to complete.