as in to paralyze
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
the downtown development committee claims that it's hamstrung by city ordinances protecting historic buildings
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Recent Examples of hamstring
Assayas is a great filmmaker, but seems hamstrung by this being a film, not a series.
—
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
But future work may be hamstrung by federal funding cuts.
—Joanna Thompson, Space.com, 12 May 2026
The state is hamstrung in its redistricting efforts despite a Republican trifecta by a constitutional amendment barring maps favoring a specific party.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
The energy shock reverberating from the war in Iran has hamstrung the global economy.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
But future work may be hamstrung by federal funding cuts.
—Joanna Thompson, Space.com, 12 May 2026
The state is hamstrung in its redistricting efforts despite a Republican trifecta by a constitutional amendment barring maps favoring a specific party.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
The energy shock reverberating from the war in Iran has hamstrung the global economy.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstring
Verb
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The Vietnam War and Watergate had spawned a paralyzing sense of national distrust, and New Hollywood had reflected that reality beautifully but pessimistically.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
23 May 2026
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The attacks paralyzed Davis as authorities searched for a suspect before detaining and arresting a disheveled Dominguez in May, days after the first fatal attack.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Since then, Tehran’s chokehold on the strait has crippled international shipping and sent energy prices soaring.—
Emma Burrows,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
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Trump signed an executive order to impose a tariff on any goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba, a move that could further cripple the island.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
Verb
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The opposition similarly claimed that the court intervention and its subsequent violent enforcement at its headquarters were a politically motivated attempt to undermine it.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
25 May 2026
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The Kremlin blocked online access to 20 years of criminal records statistics, undermining efforts to track Moscow’s repression.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
25 May 2026
Verb
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Just weeks ago, the president was blaming Thune for not doing more to whip the votes needed to advance the SAVE America Act, a voter ID bill that stalled over GOP opposition to weakening the filibuster.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 May 2026
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Canadians were once America's largest group of inbound international travelers, but recent data shows a shift as some turn away from the United States based on values and even a weakening Canadian dollar.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
Verb
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When the woman arrived, Aranda allegedly used a Taser to incapacitate her and physically attacked her, authorities said.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
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As the most unlikely scenario becomes a reality, the Walloon minister-president is incapacitated, and his daughter must sign documents in his name.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hamstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstring. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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