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
  • Attempts to reach Board of Elections officials about Ike's case Tuesday night were unsuccessful.
    Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Trump’s campaign and allies proceeded to file dozens of unsuccessful lawsuits challenging the result.
    Chantelle Lee, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
Definition of unsuccessful
Adjective
  • When the technology is limited to medical applications, such as Chang’s device that helps paralyzed people regain the ability to communicate, those applications are covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
    Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
  • My left leg is, uh, partially paralyzed from my hip to my knee, then from my knee to my toes, completely paralyzed, so if there's any neurosurgeons out there … any researchers out there, please get a hold of me.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024
Definition of paralyzed
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
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
  • If certain gender-affirming care interventions turn out to be counterproductive, does mandatory coverage actually benefit patients?
    Ge Bai, Forbes, 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 21 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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