Stymie
To obstruct or hinder the progress of; to thwart or foil a plan or action.
verbStymie
To obstruct or hinder the progress of; to thwart or foil a plan or action.
verbImagine This
Imagine you're solving a difficult puzzle and, just as you think youβve found the right move, a colossal wall slides into place, blocking every path forward. You are stymied.
Sounds Like
STY-mee (pronounced /ΛstaΙͺ.miΛ/)
Looks Like
Looks like 'stymy' (alternate spelling); visually evokes the idea of a blockage (sty).
Remember This
The word originated from the game of golf, where a ball blocking another on the putting green gave rise to the sense of a blockage; it has since broadened to mean any obstacle that prevents progress.
Other Forms
Note
Stymie is most commonly used as a verb. The noun form 'stymie' (or the variant 'stymy') refers to the obstacle itself. Be mindful of spelling variants in older texts or sports contexts.
Study Deeper
- The bureaucratic delays stymied the company's expansion plans.
- The defense's tight coverage stymied the offense and kept them from scoring.
From the golf term stymie, used since the 19th century to describe a ball blocked by another on the green; the precise origin is uncertain, but it likely derives from a Scots-English dialect meaning obstruction.
Mnemonic: STY + ME β picture a pig sty blocking your path and me stuck behind it; STYME reminds you of a blocking obstacle that halts progress.
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Presumptive
adjectiveBased on assumption or probability; supposed or accepted as true for the sake of argument or for the purpose of reasoning, without conclusive proof.
Debacle
nounA sudden and complete failure or fiasco; a chaotic collapse of a plan or event
Charlatan
nounA person who pretends to have knowledge or skill they do not possess; a fraud or faker.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Impede
verbTo block; to obstruct
Hamper
verbTo hinder or impede movement, progress, or action; to prevent someone or something from moving freely.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.