stonewall

1 of 2

verb

stone·​wall ˈstōn-ˌwȯl How to pronounce stonewall (audio)
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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
Paxton’s office has sought access to the database to cross-check Texas voter rolls for noncitizens, but the state attorney general said the federal agency has stonewalled these requests. Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Oct. 2024 The Tech Guild has claimed that management has stonewalled certain negotiations over the past two years. Sara Fischer, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
Surrounding the abbey is a steep hillside village and a stone wall with turrets. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 1 Nov. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for stonewall 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of stonewall was before the 12th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near stonewall

stone wall

stonewall

stoneware

Cite this Entry

“Stonewall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stonewall. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on stonewall

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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