as in to paralyze
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
the downtown development committee claims that it's hamstrung by city ordinances protecting historic buildings
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Recent Examples of hamstring
Rian is similarly hamstrung by inarticulacy and masculine angst, but his storyline feels the least convincing, as if fashioned only to prove money can’t buy happiness, even if Cole convincingly suggests unspoken depths.
—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
But Chicago was ultimately hamstrung by the team’s lack of 3-point shooting and faltering defensive effort.
—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
21 May 2026
Qatar, the world's second-largest supplier which owns part of the world's largest gas field, has seen its export capacity hamstrung by Iranian strikes.
—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
While Oklahoma City deployed its 10th or 11th men at times, Redick stuck to eight- or nine-man rotations, hamstrung by inefficiencies across the bottom half of the roster.
—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
But Chicago was ultimately hamstrung by the team’s lack of 3-point shooting and faltering defensive effort.
—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
21 May 2026
Qatar, the world's second-largest supplier which owns part of the world's largest gas field, has seen its export capacity hamstrung by Iranian strikes.
—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
While Oklahoma City deployed its 10th or 11th men at times, Redick stuck to eight- or nine-man rotations, hamstrung by inefficiencies across the bottom half of the roster.
—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamstring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstring
Verb
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Once injected with venom, the prey is paralyzed and drained of bodily fluids.
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The storm paralyzed the East Coast from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine and even some parts of Canada from March 12 to March 14.
Verb
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Sanctions on remittance and food delivery apps could further cripple the island nation, María José Espinosa, executive director of the Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas, said.
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As a result, teams across the league have become more wary about handing out big-money, long-term deals in free agency, as one mistake has the potential to cripple a franchise.
Verb
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Context that undermines sensational allegations is minimized.
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Allies include Brin’s Building a Better California, which is bankrolling two counter-measures aimed at undermining the billionaire tax.
Verb
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The flow of dark traffic is one of the factors that helped explain why oil markets had weakened significantly by early June, together with a surge in exports from the US and pullback in buying by China.
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But as several surveys have consistently indicated, optimism about our country's outlook has undeniably weakened.
Verb
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There's an apocryphal story about its creations; supposedly Kryptonite was invented so Superman's voice actor Bud Collyer could take vacations while the Man of Steel was incapacitated.
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Airbus UpNext's DragonFly project is developing AI that manages complex emergencies autonomously when the crew is incapacitated.
Cite this Entry
“Hamstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstring. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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