hamstrung

[ham-struhng]

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.

verb

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of hamstrung¹

ham ¹ ( def. ) + strung ( def. )

Example Sentences

“For decades, the Department has been hamstrung by entrenched staffing problems and organizational culture resistant to reform and accountability,” she said in a statement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But leftists coming into office in the hemisphere now are hamstrung by harsh economic conditions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

One federal agent tasked with assisting ICE on deportations said recent operations have been hamstrung by outdated addresses.

Read more on Salon

An ambush that killed one of his colleagues and grievously injured his partner has also left him emotionally hamstrung.

Read more on Salon

He said: "For too long, UK industry has been hamstrung by energy prices far above those in France and Germany. It's made it harder to compete, invest, and grow."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• debilitated www.thesaurus.com
• disabled 
• impaired 
• incapacitated 
• limited 
• maimed 
• paralytic 
• paralyzed www.thesaurus.com
• restricted