as in to paralyze
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of hamstring
An Uncertain Future: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was hamstrung for years.
—
Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 23 Dec. 2024
Washington’s ability to surveil vast troves of financial data and keep money and technology out of the hands of its rivals could be hamstrung by infighting and by Trump’s tendency to change his mind on a whim.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
The move hamstrings one of the most prominent financial regulatory bodies in the United States, especially at a time when the incoming Republican administration has pledged large-scale deregulation across industries.
—Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
A lot of other leagues are hamstrung by decades of precedent and infrastructure that make their changes harder.
—Steph Yang, The Athletic, 22 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hamstring 
Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 23 Dec. 2024
Washington’s ability to surveil vast troves of financial data and keep money and technology out of the hands of its rivals could be hamstrung by infighting and by Trump’s tendency to change his mind on a whim.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
The move hamstrings one of the most prominent financial regulatory bodies in the United States, especially at a time when the incoming Republican administration has pledged large-scale deregulation across industries.
—Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
A lot of other leagues are hamstrung by decades of precedent and infrastructure that make their changes harder.
—Steph Yang, The Athletic, 22 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hamstring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstring
Verb
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Its venom, potent enough to kill an elephant, is a cocktail of neurotoxins that can paralyze muscles and shut down vital systems in a matter of hours.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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Travel was paralyzed along the Interstate 10 corridor with portions already receiving widespread snowfall totals of 3 to 6 inches.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.—
Shira Ovide,
Washington Post,
4 Apr. 2023
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Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.—
Anthony Maluso,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Mar. 2023
Verb
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As Coursera's Chief Content Officer Marni Baker-Stein emphasizes, this profound gender gap in AI and data science, where women represent just 22% of professionals, undermines both social equity and the effectiveness of AI technology development.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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Paradise starts strong, but the series undermines its compelling opener with predictable, trope-heavy storytelling that’s only partially salvaged by the drama’s excellent leads.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Beijing has also been working to repair ties with American allies like Japan to try to weaken the security alliances forged by the Biden administration to constrain China.—
David Pierson,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
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With rising conflicts and weakened diplomacy, the global order is set to fragment in 2025, intensifying economic volatility.—
Sarwant Singh,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In the meantime, he’s incapacitated, which means that — per Monty’s will — Tommy is president of MTex, as well as the head of Monty’s estate and his family trust.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
12 Jan. 2025
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Hezbollah has been decapitated, its top echelons wiped out, and thousands of its fighters are incapacitated or dead.—
Noah Rothman,
National Review,
8 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hamstring
Cite this Entry
“Hamstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstring. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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