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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Recent Examples of thwart
Even when insulted or thwarted – by Spanish intrigues on the Florida frontier, by British seizures in the Caribbean, by pamphleteers accusing him of being a monarch in disguise – Washington’s tone remained measured.
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Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
In Indonesia, floodwaters cut off road access to the Port of Belawan in Sumatra, while in southern Thailand, road and railway damage thwarted 96 percent of the cross-border trade with Malaysia.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
Bajcetic had hoped to be back competing for a place in Liverpool’s first team before Christmas, but has had to deal with a fresh hamstring issue that has thwarted his progress at Anfield and most likely put an end to any chance of leaving on loan in the January transfer window.
—Gregg Evans, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Both were thwarted by Nolan and Bailey.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thwart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thwart
Verb
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Games that are too easy bore older players, while overly complex games can frustrate younger ones.—
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But while Coogan racked up millions of views for his YouTube explainers about political figures like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, he was frustrated by the hours of prep work that went into producing a single episode.—
Verb
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Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
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Archival added that rescue efforts had been hampered by the fact that any sparks created by digging machinery could ignite methane gas emitted by the landfill, per the outlet.—
Verb
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Since the suitcase won’t be as easy to zip open, thieves will have a harder time seeing whether or not your belongings are valuable; this alone could prevent your bag from becoming a target.—
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Tips to Prevent Pipes from Freezing Insulation is key in preventing frozen pipes, which means plumbing in areas like attics, exterior walls, outdoor pipes, and crawl spaces, will likely require extra insulation.—
Cite this Entry
“Thwart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thwart. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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