1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
several hamstrung attempts to reorganize the local parent-teacher association were made
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in paralyzed
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
hamstrung by recent congressional limitations on executive power, the president can do little in this situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in crippled
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of hamstrung
Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Yet, spending significantly more long-term money on one closer compared to the alternatives on the market could wind up leaving the Mets financially hamstrung.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Conservatives, who have long sought to reduce the size of the federal workforce, say Trump should not be hamstrung.
—Carlos Waters, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
The exact impacts are unclear, but airports, Amtrak trains and wildfire response would probably not be hamstrung, officials told Bay Area News Group on Monday.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
Republicans like Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, who sponsored the proposal to reform the General Orders Board, said the current setup gives civilians too much power and has made officers feel hamstrung by some of the orders.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 28 Aug. 2025
Newcastle, like Villa, are hamstrung.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
In a Friday court filing, the Justice Department said more than 460 Education Department employees had been laid off, cutting roughly a fifth of the agency's already-hamstrung workforce.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
Claire Wang, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
The Los Angeles Angels appear to be in a similar position, hamstrung as the Main Street negotiations continue.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
The other player to watch is Andy Pettitte, who has been hamstrung in the past by his use of human-growth hormone, a PED.
—Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
But further research on the long-term effects of space on humans is hamstrung by the small available sample size.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 21 Jan. 2026
In addition to higher costs, a convention center expansion is also hamstrung by the city’s lack of control over a key waterfront parcel that would be needed to complete the project.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
But a big-money move to European giant Barcelona smothered him in weighty expectations and he was hamstrung with a plethora of injuries.
—Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
In a way, Sentimental Value is both boosted and hamstrung by the comparison to Worst Person.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Grossi wants the job, even though the international body has been hamstrung by infighting and failed to use political leverage to prevent or end recent conflicts.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
Adjective
At the outset of the Hot Stove Season, the Mets moved fan-favorite Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in return for sure-handed, but potentially bat-hamstrung second baseman, Marcus Semien.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Yet, spending significantly more long-term money on one closer compared to the alternatives on the market could wind up leaving the Mets financially hamstrung.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Conservatives, who have long sought to reduce the size of the federal workforce, say Trump should not be hamstrung.
—Carlos Waters, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
The exact impacts are unclear, but airports, Amtrak trains and wildfire response would probably not be hamstrung, officials told Bay Area News Group on Monday.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
Republicans like Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, who sponsored the proposal to reform the General Orders Board, said the current setup gives civilians too much power and has made officers feel hamstrung by some of the orders.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 28 Aug. 2025
Newcastle, like Villa, are hamstrung.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
In a Friday court filing, the Justice Department said more than 460 Education Department employees had been laid off, cutting roughly a fifth of the agency's already-hamstrung workforce.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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
The Los Angeles Angels appear to be in a similar position, hamstrung as the Main Street negotiations continue.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
The other player to watch is Andy Pettitte, who has been hamstrung in the past by his use of human-growth hormone, a PED.
—Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
But further research on the long-term effects of space on humans is hamstrung by the small available sample size.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 21 Jan. 2026
In addition to higher costs, a convention center expansion is also hamstrung by the city’s lack of control over a key waterfront parcel that would be needed to complete the project.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
But a big-money move to European giant Barcelona smothered him in weighty expectations and he was hamstrung with a plethora of injuries.
—Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
In a way, Sentimental Value is both boosted and hamstrung by the comparison to Worst Person.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Grossi wants the job, even though the international body has been hamstrung by infighting and failed to use political leverage to prevent or end recent conflicts.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstrung
Adjective
-
These therapies are not universally successful, of course, but can often save lives and defeat cancers where other methods are unsuccessful.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Symptoms include cravings, unsuccessful quit attempts, tolerance and withdrawal.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That 1952 outbreak killed some 3,000 people and left more than 20,000 paralyzed.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Christopher died from cardiac arrest resulting from sepsis at the age of 52 in 2004, nine years after suffering a horseback riding accident and becoming paralyzed from the neck down.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In 2021, a record-shattering outbreak of cold in Texas crippled the state’s electric grid, a meltdown blamed in large part on failures in its gas infrastructure.—
Kristi Swartz,
AJC.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Widespread power outages, dilapidated equipment, and a lack of spare parts from absent foreign firms crippled operations.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Adebayo added 21 points, but on inefficient shooting.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Shopping, long fragmented and inefficient, was overdue for compression.—
Nicole Casperson,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Confederacy would not win foreign recognition, leaving it helpless against a Union blockade.—
Jamelle Bouie,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Schools, though, aren’t helpless.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Buffett highlighted the dilemma of addressing poverty in places where the rule of law is undermined by conflict, mentioning countries such as Congo or Sudan.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
But season-ending injuries to Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt and Harris, coupled with Hampton being undermined by ankle injuries, thwarted meaningful year-over-year gains (122 yards per game in 2025; 111 in 2024).—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead of forcing an interpretation upon her audience, de Araújo trusts us to make sense of her characters’ contradictory, if not downright counterproductive mindsets.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Pushing back against any suggestion of intentional wrongdoing, Joiner proffered that the drug would be competitively counterproductive.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump has directed his ire toward the Department of Labor agency ever since former Commissioner Erika McEntarfer authorized the release of a weak jobs report last summer.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Procedures harden, decision paths lengthen, and people wait for permission rather than acting on weak signals from the environment.—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hamstrung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstrung. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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