as in paralyzes
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstrings
Verb
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Catching a glimpse of Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre temporarily paralyzes his victims much the same way a glance from Medusa will turn someone into stone.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025 -
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
Verb
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Second, this ambiguity around responsibility cripples an organization’s ability to respond effectively.—
Nelson Lim,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
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Drones allow aggressors to target critical infrastructure that cripples a defender’s economy at low cost and with high accuracy.—
Omar Al-Ubaydli,
semafor.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Their failure to do so undermines public trust in both the election process and the integrity of the institution itself.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Oct. 2025
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This undermines the religious liberty not only of non-Christian Americans but also of mainline Protestants, non-MAGA Catholics, and Black church traditions.—
Rev. Nathan Empsall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Without light and air, the grass weakens and dies instead of going into winter dormancy.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
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For many shrubs, pruning in the fall weakens the plant by spurring tender new growth that is vulnerable to coming frosts.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 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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Cite this Entry
“Hamstrings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstrings. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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