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

The Trump administration is stonewalling the judge who ordered it to facilitate the return to the United States of the alien the administration illegally deported to El Salvador and lodged in a notorious prison there, the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT). —Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 14 Apr. 2025

Melia stonewalled each San Jose penalty taker, and Sporting won the shootout. —Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2025

Noun

Per the outlet, the couple exchanged vows at the Castello di Celsa, a 13th-century castle with sweeping views, a beautiful garden and ivy crawling up its stone walls. —Michael Nied, People.com, 21 May 2025

Indoors and out are braided together: The roof extends into a broad canopy, and the inner stone wall turns and slips through the glass to become an exterior façade. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 28 Apr. 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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