stymie

[stahy-mee] / ˈstaɪ mi /

VERB

frustrate, hinder

Synonyms

STRONGEST

choke off crimp foil impede obstruct stall stonewall thwart

STRONG

balk block confound corner crab cramp defeat mystify nonplus pigeonhole prevent puzzle shelve snooker stump

WEAK

cramp one's style cut off dead-end give the runaround hang fire hang-up hold off hold up put on back burner put on hold throw a monkey wrench into

Antonyms

STRONGEST

abet advance aid assist forward help support

STRONG

allow clarify clear up enlighten explain explicate let go release

WEAK

encourage

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Another issue with the potential to stymie talks from the beginning is the crucial oil shipping passage the Strait of Hormuz.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

AI’s rising unpopularity has the potential to stymie the growth of the AI boom, especially since continued growth will rely on a vast build-out of computing-data centers all over the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

It was supposed to improve information-sharing, not stymie it.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2026

Officials have not yet released the identities of any victims, and extreme weather in the area has continued to stymie efforts to search for the missing body, or even to retrieve those already confirmed dead.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

Elsie required only a short putt to win the hole and make herself "dormy," and Pip had laid her a dead stymie.

From "Pip" A Romance of Youth by Hay, Ian

Vocabulary lists containing stymie

Hatchet

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This Week in Words: February 16 - 22, 2019

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An Excerpt from "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead

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