Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense thwarts, present participle thwarting, past tense, past participle thwarted
verb
If you thwart someone or thwart their plans, you prevent them from doing or getting what they want.
The accounting firm deliberately destroyed documents to thwart government investigators. [VERB noun]
Her ambition to become an artist was thwarted by failing eyesight. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: frustrate, stop, foil, check More Synonyms of thwart
thwart in British English
(θwɔːt)
verb
1.
to oppose successfully or prevent; frustrate
they thwarted the plan
2. obsolete
to be or move across
noun
3. nautical
a seat lying across a boat and occupied by an oarsman
adjective
4.
passing or being situated across
5. archaic
perverse or stubborn
preposition, adverb
6. obsolete
across
Derived forms
thwartedly (ˈthwartedly)
adverb
thwarter (ˈthwarter)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old Norse thvert, from thverr transverse; related to Old English thweorh crooked, Old High German twerh transverse
thwart in American English
(θwɔrt)
adjective
1.
lying or extending across something else; transverse; oblique
2. Obsolete
perverse
adverb, preposition
3. Archaic
athwart
noun
4.
a rower's seat extending across a boat
5.
a brace extending across a canoe
verb transitive
6. Obsolete
to extend or place over or across
7.
to hinder, obstruct, frustrate, or defeat (a person, plans, etc.)
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈfrusˌtrate
Word origin
ME thwert < ON thvert, neut. of thverr, transverse < IE *terk-, to turn (prob. < *ter-, to rub with rotary motion > throw) > L torquere, to twist, turn
Examples of 'thwart' in a sentence
thwart
It is a sumptuous and intelligent film about love and thwarted ambition.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Thank goodness some of the perpetrators have been discovered and their evil plans thwarted.
The Sun (2016)
It is a comedy of thwarted ambition, and it was influential, too.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Three female fighters competing in a martial arts contest join forces to thwart a plot against them.
The Sun (2015)
It was the same day four more attempted bomb attacks were thwarted in the capital.
The Sun (2015)
It seemed like a parable of thwarted parental ambition.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Fear of ebola is thwarting efforts to bring it and other epidemics under control.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This flight of capital is not some nefarious capitalist plot to thwart the will of the people.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He is likely to be kept away from the main prison population to thwart attacks on him.
The Sun (2010)
The most that he could do was to thwart their plans for him.
Adam Sisman The Friendship: Wordsworth and Coleridge (2006)
All the rest has been just so much thwarted ambition.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Their plot was thwarted and the key members of the cell were jailed last month.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Some practical measures should be taken to thwart these plans.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Is there way for a defender to thwart such a plan?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
His plans were thwarted by a serious car accident.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The horror of what may have happened is matched only by the relief that this plot was thwarted.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The plot was thwarted because police from the northwest counterterrorism unit arrested the youth on suspicion of threats to kill his teachers.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
So far it has been a case of attacks thwarted - and there have been many.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Was his manoeuvre a rush of blood, or a rush of thwarted ambition?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
So another attack was thwarted, though no one knows about it.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Certainly, it is a masterclass in grand ambition thwarted.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
A one-handed stop to thwart the last move of the match underlined his value.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This helps to divert public anger - and to thwart the government 's bonus tax.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The scuffle at Kuala Lumpur airport was fuelled by nearly two weeks of thwarted hope.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It would thwart efforts to link pay with performance and hand a gift to the City's rivals as an international financial centre.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
thwart
British English: thwart VERB
If you thwart someone or thwart their plans, you prevent them from doing or getting what they want.
The security forces were doing all they could to thwart terrorists.
American English: thwart
Brazilian Portuguese: frustrar
Chinese: 阻挠
European Spanish: frustrar
French: contrecarrer
German: abwehren
Italian: contrastare
Japanese: 妨害する
Korean: 방해하다
European Portuguese: frustrar
Latin American Spanish: frustrar
Chinese translation of 'thwart'
thwart
(θwɔːt)
vt
[person, plans]阻挠(撓) (zǔnáo)
(verb)
Definition
to prevent or foil
They were doing all they could to thwart the opposition.
Synonyms
frustrate
The government has deliberately frustrated his efforts.
stop
I think she really would have liked to stop everything right there.
foil
A brave police chief foiled an armed robbery.
check
Today's meeting must focus on checking the spread of violence.
defeat
The challenges of constructing such a huge novel almost defeated her.
prevent
We took steps to prevent it happening.
These methods prevent pregnancy.
oppose
Mr Taylor was bitter towards those who had opposed him.
snooker
baffle
hinder
Landslides are continuing to hinder the arrival of relief supplies.
obstruct
The authorities are obstructing the investigation.
impede
Fallen rocks are impeding the progress of rescue workers.
balk
outwit
stymie
Relief efforts have been stymied in recent weeks by armed gunmen.
cook someone's goose (informal)
put a spoke in someone's wheel (informal)
Opposites
help
,
support
,
aid
,
encourage
,
assist
,
facilitate
,
hasten
Additional synonyms
in the sense of baffle
Synonyms
frustrate,
check,
defeat,
upset,
foil,
thwart,
hinder,
balk
in the sense of check
Definition
to slow the growth or progress of
Today's meeting must focus on checking the spread of violence.
Synonyms
stop,
control,
limit,
arrest,
delay,
halt,
curb,
bar,
restrain,
inhibit,
rein,
thwart,
hinder,
repress,
obstruct,
retard,
impede,
bridle,
stem the flow of,
nip in the bud,
put a spoke in someone's wheel
in the sense of defeat
Definition
to thwart or frustrate
The challenges of constructing such a huge novel almost defeated her.
Synonyms
frustrate,
foil,
thwart,
ruin,
baffle,
confound,
balk,
get the better of,
forestall,
stymie
Synonyms of 'thwart'
thwart
Explore 'thwart' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of foil
Definition
to baffle or frustrate (a person or an attempt)
A brave police chief foiled an armed robbery.
Synonyms
thwart,
stop,
check,
defeat,
disappoint,
counter,
frustrate,
hamper,
baffle,
elude,
balk,
circumvent,
outwit,
nullify,
checkmate,
nip in the bud,
put a spoke in (someone's) wheel (British)
in the sense of hinder
Definition
to get in the way of (someone or something)
Landslides are continuing to hinder the arrival of relief supplies.
Synonyms
obstruct,
stop,
check,
block,
prevent,
arrest,
delay,
oppose,
frustrate,
handicap,
interrupt,
slow down,
deter,
hamstring,
hamper,
thwart,
retard,
impede,
hobble,
stymie,
encumber,
throw a spanner in the works,
trammel,
hold up or back
in the sense of impede
Definition
to block or make progress or action difficult
Fallen rocks are impeding the progress of rescue workers.
Synonyms
hinder,
stop,
slow (down),
check,
bar,
block,
delay,
hold up,
brake,
disrupt,
curb,
restrain,
hamper,
thwart,
clog,
obstruct,
retard,
encumber,
cumber,
throw a spanner in the works of (British, informal)
in the sense of obstruct
Definition
to make progress or activity difficult
The authorities are obstructing the investigation.
Synonyms
impede,
prevent,
frustrate,
hold up,
slow down,
hamstring,
interfere with,
hamper,
hold back,
thwart,
hinder,
retard,
get in the way of,
trammel,
cumber
in the sense of oppose
Definition
to be against (something or someone) in speech or action
Mr Taylor was bitter towards those who had opposed him.
Synonyms
be against,
fight (against),
check,
bar,
block,
prevent,
take on,
counter,
contest,
resist,
confront,
face,
combat,
defy,
thwart,
contradict,
withstand,
stand up to,
hinder,
struggle against,
obstruct,
fly in the face of,
take issue with,
be hostile to,
counterattack,
speak (out) against,
be in opposition to,
be in defiance of,
strive against,
set your face against,
take or make a stand against
in the sense of prevent
Definition
to keep (someone from doing something)
We took steps to prevent it happening.These methods prevent pregnancy.
Synonyms
stop,
avoid,
frustrate,
restrain,
check,
bar,
block,
anticipate,
hamper,
foil,
inhibit,
head off,
avert,
thwart,
intercept,
hinder,
obstruct,
preclude,
impede,
counteract,
ward off,
balk,
stave off,
forestall,
defend against,
obviate (formal),
nip in the bud
in the sense of stop
Definition
to prevent the continuance or completion of (something)
I think she really would have liked to stop everything right there.
Synonyms
prevent,
suspend,
cut short,
close,
break,
check,
bar,
arrest,
silence,
frustrate,
axe (informal),
interrupt,
restrain,
hold back,
intercept,
hinder,
repress,
impede,
rein in,
forestall,
nip (something) in the bud
in the sense of stymie
Definition
to hinder or foil (someone)
Relief efforts have been stymied in recent weeks by armed gunmen.