stonewall

1 of 2

verb

stone·​wall ˈstōn-ˌwȯl 

stonewalled; stonewalling; stonewalls

intransitive verb

1

chiefly British : to engage in obstructive parliamentary debate or delaying tactics

2

: to be uncooperative, obstructive, or evasive

transitive verb

: to refuse to comply or cooperate with

stonewaller noun

stone wall

2 of 2

noun

1

: a fence made of stones

especially : one built of rough stones without mortar to enclose a field

2

: an immovable block or obstruction (as in public affairs)

Examples of stonewall in a Sentence

Verb

They stonewalled until they could come up with a response.

They were just stonewalling for time.

They're trying to stonewall the media.

We're trying to get the information, but we're being stonewalled.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Meanwhile, Congress stonewalled, gradually increasing the island’s self-government but withholding a permanent, non-colonial status. —Christina D. Ponsa-Kraus / Made By History, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024

More modern ways of storing and sharing information, changes in communication preferences at home and in offices, and environmental concerns have stonewalled the printing industry and challenged stakeholders like HP. —Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2024

Noun

Crumbling stone walls in the basement are being replaced with the same kind of Aquia sandstone used in the original. —Michael E. Ruane The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 20 Oct. 2024

Meanwhile, the property in Dubrovnik is Mediterranean style, with stone walls and natural elements. —Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1880, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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