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hamstrings

verb

present tense third-person singular of hamstring
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
  1. paralyzes
  2. cripples
  3. undermines
  4. weakens
  5. incapacitates
Verb
  • The wasp gets its name from its reproductive cycle, where a female paralyzes a tarantula to serve as a live host for her larva.
    — Sean Donnelly, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Fear, like ignorance, shuts our eyes to and paralyzes our trust in God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and unfailing love for His children, whereas the understanding of God’s ever-present goodness removes the fear that generates suffering.
    — André Kisonga, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026
Definition of paralyzes
Verb
  • Federal illegality further cripples operations with banking and tax burdens.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • In the final version of the film, Furiosa captures Dementus, cripples him, brings him back to the Citadel.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
Definition of cripples
Verb
  • Providing false or misleading information to law enforcement undermines those efforts and unnecessarily diverts officers and resources away from members of our community who may need immediate police assistance.
    — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In this telling, the column contends that the president’s rhetoric trivializes public anxiety about potential catastrophic risks and undermines efforts to build serious safety frameworks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of undermines
Verb
  • Each decision to move work overseas further weakens the economic conditions needed to sustain domestic capacity.
    — George Whittier, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • However, Bernstein pointed out that even if the global AI trade weakens, India is unlikely to see any major reversal of foreign capital flows.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • The Martian tells the story of astronaut Mark Watney, who becomes stranded on Mars after a dust storm incapacitates him.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 May 2026
  • Lorenzo confronts and incapacitates Pepe, Sonia’s main ally, before facing Sonia herself.
    — Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Definition of incapacitates
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.

Browse Nearby Words

hamstringing
hamstrings
hamstrung
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Cite this Entry

“Hamstrings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstrings. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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