(はば)

はばむ
verb (godan)
to block; to obstruct; to prevent
他動詞 transitiveaction
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present(はば)(はば)まない
Present polite(はば)みます(はば)みません
Past(はば)んだ(はば)まなかった
Past polite(はば)みました(はば)みませんでした
て form(はば)んで(はば)まなくて
ている present(はば)んでいる(はば)んでいない
ている polite(はば)んでいます(はば)んでいません
ている past(はば)んでいた(はば)んでいなかった
ている past polite(はば)んでいました(はば)んでいませんでした
Conditional ば(はば)めば(はば)まなければ
Conditional たら(はば)んだら(はば)まなかったら
Volitional(はば)もう
Volitional polite(はば)みましょう
Potential(はば)める(はば)めない
Passive(はば)まれる(はば)まれない
Causative(はば)ませる(はば)ませない
Imperative(はば)(はば)むな
1. to block; to obstruct; to prevent; to hinder
To stand in the way of something and prevent it from proceeding or being achieved. Used for both physical obstacles and abstract hindrances.
Bad weather blocked the mountain climb.
A lack of funding is hindering the execution of the plan.
The opposing team's tenacious defense prevented a victory.

Transitive verb. The subject that blocks is often an abstract concept (weather, lack of resources, opposition) rather than a person.

Common collocations

Similar words

(さまた)げる is a close synonym but sounds slightly more literary and is more often used with human agents. (はば)む emphasizes the idea of standing as a barrier, while (さまた)げる focuses on the act of interfering.