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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hamstring
They are hamstrung by having fewer states in their control and stricter rules that make partisan redrawing more difficult.
—
Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
McLaughlin said the decision was made to ensure immigration agents weren't hamstrung from doing their jobs.
—Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2025
The admission is just the latest bungle from New York’s beleaguered legal marijuana program, which has been hamstrung by legal challenges, a slow rollout and gaps in the law that allowed an illicit market to flourish.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
The Federal Communications Commission is hamstringing its upcoming review of broadband availability by ignoring the prices consumers must pay for Internet service, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said in a statement yesterday.
—Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
McLaughlin said the decision was made to ensure immigration agents weren't hamstrung from doing their jobs.
—Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2025
The admission is just the latest bungle from New York’s beleaguered legal marijuana program, which has been hamstrung by legal challenges, a slow rollout and gaps in the law that allowed an illicit market to flourish.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
The Federal Communications Commission is hamstringing its upcoming review of broadband availability by ignoring the prices consumers must pay for Internet service, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said in a statement yesterday.
—Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstring
Verb
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Was Gerry Bertier really paralyzed?—
Jessica Booth,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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New York — Government shutdowns can be political earthquakes that paralyze Washington, DC.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Such a finding could’ve crippled the operations of Google, Meta and X, among various others.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
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Given the right series of chances, players could potentially construct a build that blasts thunder and chains together static strikes that will cripple entire rooms of foes at once.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Additionally, submitting the list only weeks before the fiscal year ends, lawmakers must choose between accepting the plan and risking undermining Congress’s decisions on federal spending, or fighting and risking the money disappearing when the deadline passes, the paper added.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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The survey also undermines the argument that tariffs will simply be a one-time price adjustment.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And, in the process, weakening the ability of American tech companies, many of them based in California, to achieve their goals.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
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Winds will continue to weaken later in the afternoon, while flooding across the high terrain in the Central Azores is also expected to subside.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lorenzo confronts and incapacitates Pepe, Sonia’s main ally, before facing Sonia herself.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
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Laser strikes can potentially incapacitate pilots and put thousands of people at risk, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hamstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstring. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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