as in paralyzes
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
the downtown development committee claims that it's hamstrung by city ordinances protecting historic buildings
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hamstrings
Verb
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Monster blizzard paralyzes Northeast with extreme snow, soaring power outages.—
,
FOXNews.com,
23 Feb. 2026 -
For example, the curare plant poisons used by South and Central American hunters paralyzes the respiratory system.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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These pressures could produce a tsunami that fractures the state’s fiscal foundation, self-inflicts a crisis ultimately demanding drastic cuts, and cripples its competitiveness.—
Andrew Rein,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Scarface and friends attack the lab, and break out the kryptonite that cripples El and Kali.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Pribisco said the bill undermines public trust and perception of officers in communities that already have heavy interactions with police officers.—
Marta Zherukha,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
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Requiring them to operate as ordinary MPIA applicants misunderstands their role and undermines their purpose.—
Vaughn Stewart,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dark money significantly weakens democracy.—
Willie Wilson,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
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Even as the wealth tax debate weakens Khanna’s support among Silicon Valley heavyweights, this may not be enough to unseat him, Maviglio said, noting the tax would affect fewer than 250 people in the state.—
Julia Shapero,
The Hill,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Lorenzo confronts and incapacitates Pepe, Sonia’s main ally, before facing Sonia herself.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Hamstrings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hamstrings. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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