stone·wall
ˈstōn-ˌwȯl 
stonewalled; stonewalling; stonewalls
1
chiefly British
: to engage in obstructive parliamentary debate or delaying tactics
2
: to be uncooperative, obstructive, or evasive
: to refuse to comply or cooperate with
stonewaller
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
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
The United States, for example, stonewalls any efforts to look into Israel’s unacknowledged nuclear arsenal.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2025
Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2025
The place feels like a fortress, with high stone walls painted in yellow hiding two villas, one for the day-to-day football operation and the other for administration.
—Simon Hughes, New York Times, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stonewall
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.
Verb
When one or both partners stonewalled — shut down or disengaged — musculoskeletal issues such as back and neck pain became more prevalent.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
The United States, for example, stonewalls any efforts to look into Israel’s unacknowledged nuclear arsenal.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2025
Noun
Even the mosquito nets were custom-designed by Cape Town’s Beagle & Basset to mirror the geometric patterns of the stone walls.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2025
The place feels like a fortress, with high stone walls painted in yellow hiding two villas, one for the day-to-day football operation and the other for administration.
—Simon Hughes, New York Times, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stonewall
Cite this Entry
“Stonewall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stonewall. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share