THWART Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'thwart' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of thwart are baffle , balk , foil , and frustrate . While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing. // the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

Q: When is 'baffle' a more appropriate choice than 'thwart'?

The synonyms baffle and thwart are sometimes interchangeable, but baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling. // baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

Q: When is it sensible to use 'balk' instead of 'thwart'?

The meanings of balk and thwart largely overlap; however, balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances. // officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

Q: In what contexts can 'foil' take the place of 'thwart'?

In some situations, the words foil and thwart are roughly equivalent. However, foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort. // foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

Q: When could 'frustrate' be used to replace 'thwart'?

The words frustrate and thwart are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent. // frustrated attempts at government reform

thwart

verb

ˈthwȯrt

Definition of thwart next

as in to frustrate

to prevent from achieving a goal a coalition of grassroots organizations thwarted the company's efforts to get approval for a new power plant

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How does the verb thwart differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of thwart are baffle, balk, foil, and frustrate. While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing.

the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

When is baffle a more appropriate choice than thwart?

The synonyms baffle and thwart are sometimes interchangeable, but baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling.

baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

When is it sensible to use balk instead of thwart?

The meanings of balk and thwart largely overlap; however, balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances.

officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

In what contexts can foil take the place of thwart?

In some situations, the words foil and thwart are roughly equivalent. However, foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort.

foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

When could frustrate be used to replace thwart?

The words frustrate and thwart are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent.

frustrated attempts at government reform

Examples of thwart in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Assuming this happened, it was done to thwart state law about transparency and openness in government. —

New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2024 View 4 Images Volocopter's plans to trial passenger flights in its striking electric air taxi from a floating platform on the River Seine during the Olympics have been thwarted by bureaucracy. —

Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 9 Aug. 2024 Before passage, the Little Shell Tribe was appealing the BIA’s denial, and its other congressional attempts were thwarted. —

Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2024 Over the decades, this population has vigorously resisted the development of tourism on the island, thwarting the expansion efforts of Molokai Ranch, once the island’s largest employer. —

Jack Kiyonaga, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for thwart

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thwart.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.