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
Connecticut has among the highest electric rates in the nation, with some officials and legislators arguing that is hamstringing economic development efforts.
—
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
But in the business community, people worry about the proposals hamstringing Colorado’s competitiveness with other states, Colorado Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Loren Furman said Tuesday.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2026
And Mass Development, the state agency that supports small business projects, was hamstrung by federal rules that also exclude multi-use projects.
—Elizabeth MacBride, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Business owners and executives who disapproved of the tariffs said their companies were hamstrung by higher prices for inputs, lower product demand, supply chain shortages and a reluctance to hire or invest due to uncertainty over trade deals and a prolonged government shutdown.
—Claire Wang, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
But in the business community, people worry about the proposals hamstringing Colorado’s competitiveness with other states, Colorado Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Loren Furman said Tuesday.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2026
And Mass Development, the state agency that supports small business projects, was hamstrung by federal rules that also exclude multi-use projects.
—Elizabeth MacBride, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Business owners and executives who disapproved of the tariffs said their companies were hamstrung by higher prices for inputs, lower product demand, supply chain shortages and a reluctance to hire or invest due to uncertainty over trade deals and a prolonged government shutdown.
—Claire Wang, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstring
Verb
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The standoff has paralyzed one of the council’s most consequential bodies and left a growing backlog of zoning proposals in limbo as the committee reviews zoning changes required to begin construction projects of all kinds across the city.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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In May 2024, a cyberattack paralyzed many of the organization’s digital resources, affecting electronic medical records systems, prescriptions and refills, credit card payments, processing of electronic lab and radiology orders and access to its patient portal online.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s left them vulnerable to a crisis that could crash the AI boom, destroy the S&P 500, and cripple the US economy.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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The demolition of Golden Hall would cripple the central plant and sever the connection between the plant and the other buildings, according to the implementation report and preliminary work done by engineering consultancy WSP.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The reason this feels so different to teachers than the tech panics of the past is that there is no clear solution to how AI is undermining nearly every aspect of education.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Apr. 2026
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The cost of maintaining death row prisoners and a number of botched executions in recent years—lethal injections or gas administrations that take far too long to work, for example—have also undermined confidence.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sinlaku is forecast to continue weakening through the next few days, the National Weather Service said, passing west of the islands of Alamagan, Pagan and Agrihan through the latter half of the week.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Some target the bacterial cell wall, weakening it until the cell breaks apart and dies.—
Panteha Torabian,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In February 2025, a hiker became severely hypothermic near the summit of Vermont’s Mount Equinox during a winter storm, incapacitated with a dying phone battery.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
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One of four passengers in Bain’s car, 22-year-old Destiny Betts, suffered incapacitating injuries and was transported to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial from the scene, according to the report.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hamstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstring. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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