handicap

Something that makes it harder for you to succeed or do something.

• Lack of money was a handicap.
• His limited experience proved a serious handicap.
• Can better training overcome this handicap?

How to use it: a handicap to someone/something (Poor transport is a handicap to local businesses.)

Similar words: disadvantage, obstacle, hindrance

Opposites: advantage

Common phrases: serious handicap, major handicap, handicap to someone

A competition, or an adjustment in it, that gives weaker competitors a fairer chance.

• This race is a handicap.
• Her golf handicap fell to twelve.
• The faster horse carried extra weight in the handicap.

Common phrases: handicap race, golf handicap, low handicap

A physical or mental condition that makes some everyday activities difficult.

• The old report described her hearing loss as a handicap.
• He was born with a physical handicap.
• The form asked about any mental or physical handicap.

Similar words: disability, impairment

Common phrases: physical handicap, mental handicap, severe handicap

To make it harder for someone to succeed or do something.

• Poor roads handicap local businesses.
• An injury handicapped her chances of winning.
• We were handicapped by a lack of reliable information.

How to use it: be handicapped by something (The team was handicapped by a shortage of players.)

Similar words: hinder, hamper, disadvantage

Opposites: help

Common phrases: handicap someone, handicap a team, handicap progress

To study competitors and decide who is most likely to win.

• He knows how to handicap a race.
• Analysts handicapped the election using recent polls.
• She spends hours handicapping the horses before each meeting.

Similar words: assess, evaluate

Common phrases: handicap a race, handicap the field, handicap an election

To work out betting chances by studying the likely results of a race or competition.

• She learned to handicap horse races.
• He handicapped the race before placing a bet.
• They use past results to handicap the horses.

Similar words: calculate odds

Common phrases: handicap a race, handicap horse races, handicap the horses