1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
several hamstrung attempts to reorganize the local parent-teacher association were made
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstrung
Adjective
-
First responders also attempted to revive Riccardo, but were unsuccessful, the outlet added.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
12 July 2025 -
All attempts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful, Park Service officials said.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
In 1995, Reeve suffered a spinal injury in a horse riding accident and became paralyzed from the neck down.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
11 July 2025
-
The Teddy Pendergrass thing [his first performance since a 1982 car crash left him paralyzed from the chest down] was overwhelming, very emotional.—
Gary Graff,
Billboard,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
His vengeance included turning Michigan State in for NCAA violations, leading to probation that crippled the program until the late 1970s.—
Joe Rexrode,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
-
As the city litigated and revised the environmental impact report, two devastating storms in December 2023 and February 2024 — the same series that crippled San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier — substantially damaged the wharf.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
More than inefficient, manual finance operations introduce unnecessary risk.—
John Rubinetti,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
This is not hyperbole: burning oil to power a car or burning coal to produce electricity is at best slightly more than thirty per cent efficient—or seventy per cent inefficient.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Hosts aren’t totally helpless in the face of these wasps.—
Avery Hurt,
Discover Magazine,
14 July 2025
-
The governor told the story of a teenage boy from Oxnard whose parents disappeared in a federal raid, despite having no criminal records, leaving their son helpless and alone.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
For far too long, age discrimination has quietly undermined the security of older workers.—
Gary A. Officer,
Forbes,
26 Dec. 2024
-
He is also set on handing his successor a strong economy -- a feat that could be undermined by a sudden energy shock reprising the price spikes earlier in his administration.—
Jeff Stein and Ellen Nakashima The Washington Post,
arkansasonline.com,
25 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Don’t run through fatigue: Pushing past your current endurance level may be tempting, but this is counterproductive.—
Laura Dorwart,
Verywell Health,
18 July 2025
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Yet opting not to hire young workers could be counterproductive for building a strong future workforce.—
Liz Elting,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Those weak harvests, in turn, are due to drought and high temperatures and more generally climate change, which has negatively impacted coffee harvests for several years.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
21 July 2025
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It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant women.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Hamstrung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstrung. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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