hamstring

American  

[ham-string] / ˈhæmˌstrɪŋ /

noun

1. (in humans and other primates) any of the tendons that bound the ham of the knee.

2. (in quadrupeds) the great tendon at the back of the hock.

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verb (used with object)

hamstrung, hamstringing

1. to disable by cutting the hamstring or hamstrings.

   Synonyms:

   lame, hock, disable, cripple

2. to render powerless or useless; thwart.

   Their efforts were hamstrung by stubborn pride.

hamstring British  

/ ˈhæmˌstrɪŋ /

noun

1. anatomy any of the tendons at the back of the knee

2. the large tendon at the back of the hock in the hind leg of a horse, etc

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verb

1. to cripple by cutting the hamstring of

2. to ruin or thwart

hamstring Scientific  

/ hăm′strĭng′ /

1. A powerful group of muscles at the back of the thigh that arise in the hip and pelvis and insert as strong tendons behind the knee. The hamstring bends the knee and helps to straighten the hip.

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Etymology

Origin of hamstring

First recorded in 1555–65; ham ¹ + string

Explanation

Your hamstrings are groups of muscles and tendons between your hips and knees. If you pull a hamstring while running or jumping, you'll feel pain at the back of your thigh. Ouch! The hamstring muscle group is one of the most powerful in your body — attached to the knee and hip, these are the muscles and tendons that make it possible for you to run, walk, and jump. It's fairly common for athletes to injure their hamstrings and be (temporarily) immobilized. Fittingly, hamstring is also a verb meaning "render powerless." So an astronaut might complain that a lack of funding will hamstring NASA, making planned Mars voyages impossible.

Example Sentences

The door remains open for a late‑season impact, with rival left‑wing option Jamie Gittens sidelined for three months because of recurring hamstring injuries.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Doncic is out with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and Reaves is sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

In her interview with Mr. Varadarajan, Ms. Dhillon frames these consent decrees as onerous regulations that hamstring police.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Feyi-Waboso was making his first appearance in a Chiefs shirt since the end of January, having injured his hamstring in an England training camp before the Six Nations.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

For hamstring stretches, one person lies on the grass on his back with his leg straight up, while the other person leans in and slowly presses the leg a little higher.

From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner

Related Words

• debilitate
• disable
• hinder
• hobble
• immobilize
• impair
• paralyze
• weaken