stonewall
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to engage in stonewalling.
-
British. filibuster.
-
Cricket. (of a batsman) to play a defensive game, as by persistently blocking the ball instead of batting it for distance and runs.
verb (used with object)
-
Informal. to block, stall, or resist intentionally.
lobbying efforts to stonewall passage of the legislation.
-
British. to obstruct (the passage of a legislative bill) in Parliament, especially by excessive or prolonged debate.
adjective
verb
-
(intr) cricket (of a batsman) to play defensively
-
to obstruct or hinder (parliamentary business)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have stonewalledperfect
-
has stonewalledperfect 3rd person singular
-
am stonewallingprogressive 1st person singular
-
has been stonewallingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
have been stonewallingperfect progressive
-
are stonewallingprogressive
-
is stonewallingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
stonewallssingular 3rd person
-
stonewallingparticiple
Past
-
had stonewalledperfect
-
had been stonewallingperfect progressive
-
stonewalledparticiple
-
were stonewallingprogressive plural
-
was stonewallingprogressive singular
-
stonewalledsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of stonewall
v. and adj. use of noun phrase stone wall
Explanation
To stonewall is to deliberately hold something up or delay it, especially by refusing to cooperate or answer questions. A big company might stonewall when its workers try to negotiate for higher pay — and your parents might stonewall when you try to negotiate for a higher allowance. A press secretary stonewalls when she avoids directly answering a reporter's pointed questions, and you stonewall when you change the subject rather than commit to visiting your grandma. The word stonewall was coined as a nickname for Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson, who was described as "standing like a stone wall" as the enemy approached. It was originally a noun, meaning "an act of obstruction."
Vocabulary lists containing stonewall
This Week in Words: May 4–10, 2019
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Blink
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Shadowshaper
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
But Kornev is young and infused with an idealistic zeal, refusing to let these goons stonewall him.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
Head coach Eddie Howe said the Magpies were refused a "stonewall" penalty when Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah barged Anthony Gordon to the ground.
From BBC • Dec. 31, 2025
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that seeks to stonewall the project.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025
For a public agency to stonewall that way is outrageous.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 26, 2024
Several were sitting back on their haunches, their claws scraping at the chalky stonewall that flanked the waterfall.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
