hamstrung

American  

[ham-struhng] / ˈhæmˌstrʌŋ /

adjective

1. having been made powerless or useless; thwarted.

   The candidates also face a housing market crisis, subway strikes, and a hamstrung government.

2. having had the hamstring tendon cut.

   She fell like a hamstrung deer.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of hamstring.

Etymology

Origin of hamstrung

ham ¹ ( def. ) + strung ( def. )

Example Sentences

The longer time you have to invest your $100,000, the more likely you won’t be hamstrung by a correction.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

But some observers wonder whether the regulator has the capacity to police such a complex issue as valuation when it is hamstrung by staff departures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

What that means in the short-term is that the Federal Reserve is going to be a bit hamstrung.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

While Borthwick, as his successor, guided England to within touching distance of the final, he was hamstrung by a lack of preparation.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

We are hamstrung every minute of every day, because we must always consider whether we are gleaning too much or too little.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Related Words

• debilitated
• disabled
• impaired
• incapacitated
• limited
• maimed
• paralytic
• paralyzed
• restricted