thwart

verb

\ˈthwȯrt

thwarted; thwarting; thwarts

Definition of thwart

(Entry 1 of 4)

transitive verb

1a : to oppose successfully : defeat the hopes or aspirations of

b : to run counter to so as to effectively oppose or baffle : contravene

2 : to pass through or across

thwart

adverb

\ˈthwȯrt,

naut often ˈthȯrt\

Definition of thwart (Entry 2 of 4)

: athwart

thwart

adjective

Definition of thwart (Entry 3 of 4)

: situated or placed across something else : transverse

thwart

noun

Definition of thwart (Entry 4 of 4)

: a seat extending athwart a boat

Other Words from thwart Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about thwart

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Choose the Right Synonym for thwart

Verb

frustrate, thwart, foil, baffle, balk mean to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal. frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent. frustrated attempts at government reform thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing. the army thwarted his attempt at a coup foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort. foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling. baffled by the maze of rules and regulations balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances. officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

Did You Know?

Verb

Thwart and its synonyms "foil" and "frustrate" all suggest checking or defeating another's plan or preventing the achievement of a goal. "Foil" implies checking or defeating so as to discourage future efforts ("foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her"), while "frustrate" suggests making all efforts, however vigorous or persistent, futile or ineffectual ("frustrated attempts at government reform"). "Thwart" usually indicates frustration caused by opposition ("the army thwarted an attempted coup").

Examples of thwart in a Sentence

Verb

She did all she could to thwart his plans. The army thwarted the attempt at a coup.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Wagner led the team in tackles, stood up Latavius Murray on a crucial third-quarter fourth-down stop with help from Clark and thwarted a fourth-quarter field-goal attempt by leaping over two of his defensive linemen. — Seattle Times Sports Staff, The Seattle Times, "What the national media are saying about the Seahawks’ win over the Vikings on #MNF," 11 Dec. 2018 And all skin types, really — especially for city dwellers, thanks to an invisible shield that thwarts pollution for 24 hours. — Sophie Wirt, Allure, "Clinique Launches Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly — a Gel Version of Its Classic Moisturizer," 6 Aug. 2018 Facebook has made a number of changes in the past 18 months in the hope of thwarting another disinformation campaign. — Kurt Wagner, Recode, "Facebook has discovered a ‘coordinated’ campaign of misinformation accounts ahead of the U.S. midterm elections," 31 July 2018 For all Sweden’s superiority, Granqvist was fortunate not to be booked for a cynical challenge in the 31st minute, which thwarted a promising attack. — SI.com, "Sweden 1-0 South Korea: Dream Start for Swedes as Granqvist Penalty Breaks Koreans' Resistance," 18 June 2018 The swarm threat has been around a while now, and the United States has been looking for ways to thwart it. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Iran Just Claimed Control Over the Persian Gulf. Here’s How They’d Defend It.," 27 Aug. 2018 But her investigation into the Israeli drug company Teva — the world’s largest manufacturer of generic drugs — has largely been thwarted. — Lev Facher, STAT, "Senator, blocking subpoena of Teva in opioids probe, says matter should be left to courts," 29 May 2018 And for years, they have been thwarted by liquor stores unwilling to share their cold beer profits. — Kaitlin Lange, Indianapolis Star, "Convenience stores work around cold beer prohibition by offering 'Chill Indiana bags'," 24 May 2018 Some real plans to do harm have been thwarted as alert students, parents, and citizens speak up. — Stacy Teicher Khadaroo, The Christian Science Monitor, "Social Media threats and school: The scramble to balance safety, justice," 6 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Germany has previously had success with American intelligence information helping thwart plots, most notably in 2007 in stopping a plan to bomb the U.S. Air Force's Ramstein Air Base in southern Germany. — David Rising, Fox News, "German teenager arrested in gay club bomb attack plan," 13 Sep. 2018 The center yoke thwart is perfectly balanced for one-person portages. — The Editors, Outside Online, "REI Is Having an Huge Sale on Water Sports Gear," 18 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thwart.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.