"obstruct, hinder, impede, clog"
"obstruct, hinder, impede, clog"

clog: to clog a drain.
impede: impede the progress of the rescue.
hinder: The storm hindered our progress.
obstruct: obstruct the process.

I've looked up these words in the dictionary, and found they can explain the others. Are they interchangeable?
Thx

Question

"obstruct, hinder, impede, clog"
"obstruct, hinder, impede, clog"

clog:  to clog a drain.
impede:  impede the progress of the rescue.
hinder: The storm hindered our progress.
obstruct: obstruct the process.

I've looked up these words in the dictionary,  and found they can explain the others.  Are they interchangeable?
Thx

Answer

They are similar, but cannot all be used interchangeably. 
Clogging is generally more used in the physical sense, and is rarely used otherwise.
Impede and hinder are probably the closest out of the 4.
Obstructing is a broader word, but closer to 'blocking' than any of the others.

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