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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hamstring
But Flacco was hamstrung by receivers who can't catch and an offensive line that rarely afforded him time.
—
Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Ekwonu suggested postgame that Young was hamstrung by the pockets and looks the offensive line afforded him.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Sauer warned that the lower ruling was hamstringing enforcement efforts by raising the possibility of contempt when agents conduct immigration raids in the district.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 8 Sep. 2025
Even if its leaders still want to move military forces abroad, their ability to do so would be hamstrung by the paralysis of vital logistics, transportation and communications infrastructure achieved through these cyberattacks.
—Jim Richberg, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Ekwonu suggested postgame that Young was hamstrung by the pockets and looks the offensive line afforded him.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Sauer warned that the lower ruling was hamstringing enforcement efforts by raising the possibility of contempt when agents conduct immigration raids in the district.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 8 Sep. 2025
Even if its leaders still want to move military forces abroad, their ability to do so would be hamstrung by the paralysis of vital logistics, transportation and communications infrastructure achieved through these cyberattacks.
—Jim Richberg, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstring
Verb
-
The role is particularly noteworthy considering Dane announced earlier this year that he was diagnosed with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that gradually paralyzes the body by destroying the nerve cells that control muscle movement.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The demonstrations come as the federal government enters its 18th day of shutdown, which has paralyzed federal programs and services while testing the constitutional balance of power.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On December 7, 1941, 353 Japanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and crippling much of the Pacific Fleet.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Sanctions have crippled the government’s primary source of revenue, oil exports, limiting the state’s ability to provide for millions of impoverished Iranians through social safety nets.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the view of many faculty members, Baccarelli had undermined the public position Harvard spent months cultivating—as a beacon of academic integrity, unwilling to bend to the administration’s political pressure.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Even before the shutdown gripped Washington, there were mounting Democratic complaints that Trump would undermine any government funding deals struck by Congress with his use of pocket rescissions, aimed at canceling spending unilaterally at the end of a fiscal year.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While the very high end of the market is strong, the aspirational luxury market has weakened due to economic pressures.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Far from expanding opportunity, this excessive wealth locks millions out of the chance to innovate and build, weakening growth for all.—
Scott Ellis,
Time,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
He is accused of slipping incapacitating drugs into victims’ food or drinks before assaulting them between 2021 and 2024.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
-
In still other situations, lapses in common knowledge can incapacitate people who really, really need to work together.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hamstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstring. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share