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

Ex-Patriots defensive tackle Adam Butler had Wilson in a blender, recording multiple pressures and stonewalling him in the run game. —Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 9 Sep. 2025

These serious problems in the judiciary’s approach to cybersecurity have been able to fester for decades because the judiciary covers up its own negligence, has no inspector general and repeatedly stonewalls congressional oversight. —Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2025

Noun

But while the past is carved into its stone walls, the future may soon depend on outside groups or businesses willing to reimagine the site while keeping its historic roots intact. —Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025

Menninger said the stone wall goes around the facade and the empty lot. —Jason Dill september 5, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for stonewall

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• catarrhal
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol

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