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Prepositions after verbs

Hamper and related prepositions

Hamper usually takes a direct object. Reasons are often introduced by by or due to in passive or extended structures.

Quick answer

How is hamper used?

Hamper means hinder or make progress difficult. The verb normally takes a direct object: bad weather hampered travel. By and due to often introduce the cause in passive or extended patterns.

Heavy snow hampered traffic.
The project was hampered by funding cuts.
Production was delayed due to technical problems.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
hamper + activity/process

Directly affecting progress

Hamper commonly takes a direct object without a preposition.

The strike hampered negotiations.
Poor lighting hampered visibility.
2
hampered by + cause

Giving the reason for difficulty

Use by after hampered to identify the thing causing the problem.

Rescue efforts were hampered by strong winds.
Growth was hampered by high costs.
3
hamper in + activity

Showing the affected area

In can introduce the activity or area where difficulty occurs.

The injury hampered him in training.
Language barriers hampered us in negotiations.
4
throughout + period/place

Adding a separate time or place phrase

Throughout is not selected by hamper itself. It acts as a time or place adjunct.

Supply problems hampered deliveries throughout the winter.
The outage hampered communication throughout the region.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
hamper
The delay hampered production.
Standard direct-object use.
hampered by
The mission was hampered by rain.
Names the cause of the difficulty.
hamper in
The injury hampered her in practice.
Shows the activity affected.
due to
Flights were cancelled due to fog.
Due to introduces a reason but is not a fixed pattern after hamper.
hamper for
The rule hampered for investors.
This is not a standard pattern in current English.
throughout
The storm hampered travel throughout the country.
Throughout adds a separate area or period.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Adding for after hamper

Hamper for is not a normal English pattern.

✕ The policy hampered for small businesses. ✓ The policy hampered small businesses.

Using due directly after hamper

Due to normally introduces a separate reason phrase.

✕ The repairs hampered due bad weather. ✓ The repairs were hampered by bad weather.

Forgetting the object

Hamper usually needs something being affected.

✓ The outage hampered communication.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Heavy rain ___ construction work.
2. The rescue operation was ___ strong winds.
3. The injury hampered him ___ training.

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Frequently asked questions

Can hamper be used in positive contexts?

No. Hamper nearly always describes difficulty or obstruction.

Is hampered by more common than hamper by?

Yes. The passive form hampered by is especially common when stating the cause.

Can throughout follow hamper?

Yes, but throughout is usually a separate time or place phrase rather than a fixed partner of hamper.

hack-into-by-at-to, in "haggle with" or "haggle for"? "hail from" or "hail as"? "handle by" or "handle in"? hang in, from, over, around or onto? "happen to" or "happen in"? harass by, in, at, for or with? "harm by" or "harm to"? harvest from, in, for, at or by? hasten to, by, from, after or into? hate on, for, by, about or in? haul in, before, by, into or over?

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