thwarting 1 of 3

adjective

as in frustrating

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thwarting

2 of 3

noun

as in deterrence

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thwarting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of thwart
as in hampering
to prevent from achieving a goal a coalition of grassroots organizations thwarted the company's efforts to get approval for a new power plant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 thwarting
Noun
To simulate thwarting advances by enemy forces using the bridge, soldiers erected layers of barriers and rolled barbed wire. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 The attack’s thwarting was an undeniable success. — Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026 The thwarting of the Charlotte Hornets, one of the NBA’s fastest squads, is the quintessential White play. — Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 The council keeps losing court battles on issues ranging from its Voter ID law to its efforts to censor library books to its thwarting of state housing laws. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Oregon is one of the only states in the country with a carve-out in its public records law that prevents disclosing the financial details of subsidized housing projects, thwarting researchers and journalists who have tried to examine their costs. — Rob Davis, ProPublica, 21 Aug. 2026 Ed Yardeni isn’t worried about the sharp rise in sovereign bond yields thwarting stocks. — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026 Researchers believe the virus may have been spreading undetected since February, and an expert said cases were still being detected very late, thwarting chances of successful treatment. — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2026 The potential signing has divided Barça fans, weighing midfield depth and Rodri's age against acquiring an elite World Cup winner and thwarting rivals. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Even with a broken right ring finger, 33-year-old Emiliano Martinez kept thwarting the Spaniards. — Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 20 July 2026 States are acting despite an executive order by Trump aimed at thwarting state-level regulation of AI. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 15 July 2026 As Ukraine’s expanding drone campaign targets Russian supply lines, ships and even Moscow’s outskirts, Russia answers with heavy strikes on Ukrainian cities and claims of thwarting massive covert attacks on key air bases. — Emma Carmichael, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 But even as democratic governments have become more proficient and more technologically adept at thwarting terrorists, some in our societies have become insensitive, or even callous, about the civilizational consequences of terror and violence. — Anne Neuberger, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thwarting
  1. frustrating
  2. deterrence
  3. hampering
  4. baffling
  5. foiling
  6. preventing
  7. blocking
  8. crossing
Adjective
  • Cynically or not, Chin and Vasarhelyi understand that these primal thrills are enough to distract us from the frustrating and sorrowful truth at the center of the story.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That’s part of what made the limitations during a few days or drills and only playing six preseason snaps extra concerning and frustrating for the 25-year-old.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of frustrating
Noun
  • Anker says this is an active-deterrence camera with an auto-tracking light, 180-degree dual-radar detection, and 4K resolution.
    — Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Despite the 9/11 terrorist attacks, this mix of geography, deterrence, and power has led many Americans to feel almost untouchable at home.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of deterrence
Verb
  • Birds visiting the feeder can get the goo on their wings, hampering their ability to fly and possibly leading to their untimely deaths.
    — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Rescuers will use an extrication device and a helicopter, Fathur said, adding that there were no reports of people missing and no challenges hampering the search.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of hampering
Adjective
  • Bugs Bunny being in the real world is frankly not as baffling as Michael Jordan’s detour into minor-league baseball.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The episode submissions this year are a little baffling, often not reflecting the series’ best work.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of baffling
Noun
  • Wing foiling is developed from windsurfing and kitesurfing, while a Seabob is an electric underwater scooter.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 24 Aug. 2026
  • As with most modern foiling yachts, the Hypersail is fitted with foils that can be adjusted in real time to match conditions.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 July 2026
Definition of foiling
Verb
  • According to Lupo, cost is the single biggest factor preventing California’s major cities from placing high.
    — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Although dates are naturally high in sugar, their fiber can slow digestion, preventing sugar from being absorbed quickly into the bloodstream.
    — Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of preventing
Adjective
  • The winner was the player who avoided being blocked the longest — a blocking game, a category of strategy game where the objective centers on restricting your opponent’s movement.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
Definition of blocking
Noun
  • Rather, changes in snake behavior and movement can increase the chances of people and pets crossing paths with them.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Those numbers were likely to be updated on ‌Wednesday as China fully reopened the only road leading to the Gyirong border crossing into Nepal, allowing heavy machinery to reach the core disaster zone for the first time.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of crossing

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thwarting
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Cite this Entry

“Thwarting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thwarting. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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