Stymie

To obstruct or hinder the progress of; to thwart or foil a plan or action.

verb

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Imagine This

Imagine you're solving a difficult puzzle and, just as you think you’ve found the right move, a colossal wall slides into place, blocking every path forward. You are stymied.

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Sounds Like

STY-mee (pronounced /ˈstaɪ.miː/)

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Looks Like

Looks like 'stymy' (alternate spelling); visually evokes the idea of a blockage (sty).

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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.

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Other Forms

stymienoun

stymieverb

stymynoun

stymyverb

stymyingverb

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Connect With

hinder, impede, obstruct, thwart, frustrate, hamper

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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.

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Study Deeper

Examples

The bureaucratic delays stymied the company's expansion plans.
The defense's tight coverage stymied the offense and kept them from scoring.

Synonyms

hinderimpedeobstructthwartfrustratehamper

Antonyms

aidassistfacilitateadvance

Etymology

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

Mnemonic: STY + ME — picture a pig sty blocking your path and me stuck behind it; STYME reminds you of a blocking obstacle that halts progress.