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.

Any slowdown in data center construction and completion would stymie a build-out that AI players desperately need.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

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

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

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2026

Critics of the effort to list lion populations have said that it will stymie residential and commercial projects.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

He had been able to stymie that trip on the excuse that he'd almost certainly lose his job and that new jobs were too hard to get in a depression era.

From A World Apart by Merwin, Sam

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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