THWARTED Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

thwarted

verb

past tense of thwart

as in frustrated

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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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.

Recent Examples of thwarted After traveling thousands of miles for my first total solar eclipse, I'd been thwarted first by clouds, then by a car park's security lights. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2026 Every time the twitchy little bug stops for a moment, Snaggletooth focuses to prepare a pounce, only to be thwarted as the fatty snack buzzes to another spot in the nest. — Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026 The local ceasefire is due to last through Saturday, or longer, though deep mistrust between Russia and Ukraine has thwarted previous attempts at ceasefires. — ABC News, 26 Oct. 2026 Mattel thwarted restive shareholders by inviting one of them to come inside and play. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Just weeks after the experiment ended, a prison uprising at Attica Correctional Facility in New York was thwarted with deadly force, resulting in 43 deaths. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 The loss thwarted Cleveland’s chance at a World Series championship, extending its drought to 78 years. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 In short, Kroger tried hard and was thwarted by the regulators. — Shubha Ghosh, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 At times, officers’ efforts have thwarted potential school shootings. — Rosie Cima, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thwarted

Verb

Lara faced intense scrutiny and criticism during his eight years in office from Californians frustrated by rising prices, fewer options and how their claims were handled.

— Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
In Broward County, voters who lined up to be the first to cast ballots were frustrated by a technical issue that delayed voting by 20 minutes.

— David Fleshler, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of frustrated

Verb

Lucy comes downstairs, baffled by what’s going on as he’s taken away.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
To me, Neil Simon’s comedy is a masterclass in the architecture of laughter, and I’ve long been baffled that this extraordinary play hasn’t received a major revival in recent years.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of baffled

Verb

Also — and this could be its killer feature — the Nook fully foiled my squirrels.

— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026
After building an action camera capable of tracking speedy cyclists and skiers, HoverAir decided to tackle a foe that had foiled other consumer drone manufacturers.

— Max Cea, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of foiled

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thwart

thwarted

thwarting

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“Thwarted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thwarted. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of thwarted

verb

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