hamstrung 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of hamstrungnext
1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result several hamstrung attempts to reorganize the local parent-teacher association were made

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in paralyzed
unable to act or achieve one's purpose hamstrung by recent congressional limitations on executive power, the president can do little in this situation

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hamstrung

2 of 2

verb

past tense of hamstring
as in crippled
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move the downtown development committee claims that it's hamstrung by city ordinances protecting historic buildings

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstrung
  1. unsuccessful
  2. paralyzed
  3. crippled
  4. inefficient
  5. helpless
  6. undermined
  7. counterproductive
  8. weak
Adjective
  • Riley's mother began to get worried, and phone records show that many of Riley's family members attempted to reach her but were unsuccessful.
    Charmaine Patterson, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
  • In his unsuccessful 2020 race, Trump garnered almost 13,000 votes.
    Darcie Moran, Detroit Free Press, 20 Nov. 2024
Definition of unsuccessful
Adjective
  • The intoxicating collab with the Hole lead vocalist came as a pleasant surprise on the LP, as listeners are left floating to space while simultaneously feeling paralyzed and sinking to the depths of the ocean.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 18 Nov. 2024
  • Between the lines: Any period of uncertainty could see the country thrust into a time of legal drama, paralyzed governance and overall distrust, as Axios' Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen reported.
    Adam Tamburin, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of paralyzed
Verb
  • Predictions for holiday spending are beginning to trickle out, but there are a lot of question marks in the air, including a massive port workers’ strike that began Tuesday and has crippled all shipping container cargo on the East Coast.
    Megan Poinski, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
  • Saddam's Playbook All these sites were targeted by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war and severely crippled the Iranian economy.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Definition of crippled
Adjective
  • On top of that, passive learning tends to be slow and inefficient.
    Aytekin Tank, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Niccol aims to tackle issues contributing to longer wait times, such as inadequate staffing during peak hours and inefficient food preparation.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Definition of inefficient
Adjective
  • While Chris Smith lay helpless, authorities say Tarr was plotting to silence him forever.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024
  • This creates a helpless but highly effective kind of suspense, as Iris must rely on her tormentor to mess up, at least until her limbs start to respond again.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
Definition of helpless
Verb
  • From the insurrection on January 6 to COVID-19 denialism, these beliefs have not only threatened public safety but also undermined democracy itself.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
  • Meanwhile, attempts by Washington to broker a cease-fire in Gaza and prevent a war with Hezbollah in Lebanon have been repeatedly undermined by Israeli assassinations, pager strikes and intransigence at the negotiating table.
    Charles Walldorf, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2024
Definition of undermined
Adjective
  • Accordingly, Washington’s aim should be to make clear to Chinese President Xi Jinping how counterproductive and costly to Beijing’s interests these new relationships will turn out to be.
    Stephen Hadley, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2024
  • This move, described as reckless by Petty, was seen as a counterproductive decision that ultimately cost him valuable positions in a race critical to his standing heading into the playoffs.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Definition of counterproductive
Adjective
  • Other checks on Trump’s policy will also be far weaker.
    Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Each endpoint can be assessed to sniff out weak points.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
Definition of weak
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near hamstrung

hamstrings

hamstrung

hand

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Cite this Entry

“Hamstrung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstrung. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hamstrung

Nglish: Translation of hamstrung for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of hamstrung for Arabic Speakers

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