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
Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 28 Aug. 2025
Newcastle, like Villa, are hamstrung.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
John Tamny, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
They are hamstrung by having fewer states in their control and stricter rules that make partisan redrawing more difficult.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
This raised around £40m on top of their £18m payment from the ECB’s central sales pot, meaning Yorkshire have finally been able to shake off the onerous debt that has hamstrung operations for a generation.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
The admission is just the latest bungle from New York’s beleaguered legal marijuana program, which has been hamstrung by legal challenges, a slow rollout and gaps in the law that allowed an illicit market to flourish.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
The Hill’s Jared Gans reports that Democrats are hamstrung by their own recent push to use independent redistricting commissions, taking the issue out of the hands of state lawmakers.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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
Verb
Specifically, smaller banks have been hamstrung since 2008 by all manner of price controls on debit, credit and other services that have limited their ability to compete.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
They are hamstrung by having fewer states in their control and stricter rules that make partisan redrawing more difficult.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
This raised around £40m on top of their £18m payment from the ECB’s central sales pot, meaning Yorkshire have finally been able to shake off the onerous debt that has hamstrung operations for a generation.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
The admission is just the latest bungle from New York’s beleaguered legal marijuana program, which has been hamstrung by legal challenges, a slow rollout and gaps in the law that allowed an illicit market to flourish.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
The Hill’s Jared Gans reports that Democrats are hamstrung by their own recent push to use independent redistricting commissions, taking the issue out of the hands of state lawmakers.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstrung
Adjective
-
The new complaint was filed 20 years after Burrowes first claimed in an unsuccessful civil case that Combs may have put out a hit on Shakur and Knight.—
Gina Barton,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
-
All have been unsuccessful due to his status as a suspect in multiple violent crimes.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Big corporations can become paralyzed by their own weight.—
S.W. Miliano,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Mullins was left paralyzed and died two years later.—
Austin Hornbostel,
The Tennessean,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Tony and Ziva race to the scene, finding the place crippled by a power outage followed by a ransom request for 115 million Euros.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The last time active-duty military was sent to Chicago against the wishes of local officials was on July 4, 1894, according to the archives of the Chicago Tribune, when a labor dispute at a Pullman factory crippled the nation’s rail industry and resulted in days of rioting.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
She’s brought in outside consultants to help the finance office fix its inefficient accounting systems, drawing praise from state officials.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Many cities continue to underprice curbside parking, contributing to congestion, cruising, and inefficient land use.—
Regina Clewlow,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This burden of additional responsibilities and emotional labor with less resources lead many women to feel helpless, leaving divorce as the only escape.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The sunbathers of sleepy Amity Bay are helpless against the unexpected great white shark that hunts their coasts; Spielberg’s talent for suspense, effective horror shocks, and ingenious reinvention of the classic animal-attack movie remain as impressive as ever.—
Christina Newland,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Given that the Court, under Chief Justice John Roberts, has already significantly undermined past interpretations of Voting Rights Act, there is significant anticipation that the majority-minority districts will be struck down as unconstitutional.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The plaintiffs claim his acts denied access to justice, violated ministerial duties and undermined the public’s trust.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite the league's efforts to promote unity, NFL legend Brett Favre feels the messages are counterproductive.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
5 Sep. 2025
-
That’s really so counterproductive.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Royals made a lot of weak contact, which resulted in a mix of groundouts.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Last week, a weaker-than-expected jobs report added to expectations of an imminent rate cut by the central bank.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hamstrung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstrung. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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