stymie

American  

[stahy-mee] / ˈstaɪ mi /

Sometimes stymy

verb (used with object)

stymied, stymieing

1. to hinder, block, or thwart.

   Synonyms:

   confound, stump, frustrate, perplex

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noun

1. a situation or problem presenting such difficulties as to discourage or defeat any attempt to deal with or resolve it.

2. Golf. (on a putting green) an instance of a ball's lying on a direct line between the cup and the ball of an opponent about to putt.

stymie British  

/ ˈstaɪmɪ /

verb

1. to hinder or thwart

2. golf to impede with a stymie

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noun

1. golf (formerly) a situation on the green in which an opponent's ball is blocking the line between the hole and the ball about to be played: an obstructing ball may now be lifted and replaced by a marker

2. a situation of obstruction

Etymology

Origin of stymie

First recorded in 1855–60; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

The new works Audi team, the German manufacturer having taken over Sauber and produced their own engine, were stymied by a fair few reliability problems early in the test.

From BBC

And they understand behavioral finance and the psychological biases that can cloud your judgment and stymie your saving, spending and investing habits.

From MarketWatch

The rules did draw backlash from some local startups, which called the rules vague or warned the fresh impediments could stymie innovation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Abbott Laboratories ABT -10.43%decrease; red down pointing triangle said it raised prices across its nutrition business in order to cover rising costs, and that those increases hurt demand and stymied sales.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sheffield, 73 years old, just last summer emerged from a yearlong, bruising battle that stymied his retirement plans—and led him to announce he no longer wanted a board seat at oil giant Exxon Mobil.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• choke off
• crimp
• foil
• impede
• obstruct
• stall
• stonewall
• thwart