To hamper is to slow down, block, or make it harder for someone or something to move or succeed. Obstacles, rules, or problems can all hamper progress.
Probably from Middle English “hamperen,” meaning “to restrain,” possibly related to “hanaper,” a case for holding documents, suggesting something that confines. The exact origin is uncertain.
To hamper is to tie things up so they can’t move freely, whether it’s a plan or a person. Interestingly, the laundry “hamper” also traps things—your clothes—until they’re ready to move again.
In many cultures, domestic chores like laundry—often associated with hampers—have been socially assigned to women, reinforcing unpaid and undervalued labor. Language around laundry and housekeeping has historically framed them as women’s natural responsibilities rather than shared tasks.
Avoid implying that managing the hamper or laundry is primarily women’s work; use neutral phrasing that encourages shared responsibility.
["laundry basket","obstruct","impede"]
Women’s organizing around domestic labor—through unions, consciousness‑raising groups, and scholarship on the “second shift”—has been central to recognizing housework, including laundry, as real work deserving respect and fair distribution.
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