THWART Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'thwart' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of thwart are baffle , balk , foil , and frustrate . While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing. // the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

Q: When is 'baffle' a more appropriate choice than 'thwart'?

The synonyms baffle and thwart are sometimes interchangeable, but baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling. // baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

Q: When is it sensible to use 'balk' instead of 'thwart'?

The meanings of balk and thwart largely overlap; however, balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances. // officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

Q: In what contexts can 'foil' take the place of 'thwart'?

In some situations, the words foil and thwart are roughly equivalent. However, foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort. // foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

Q: When could 'frustrate' be used to replace 'thwart'?

The words frustrate and thwart are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent. // frustrated attempts at government reform

thwart

verb

ˈthwȯrt

Definition of thwart next

as in to frustrate

to prevent from achieving a goal a coalition of grassroots organizations thwarted the company's efforts to get approval for a new power plant

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How does the verb thwart differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of thwart are baffle, balk, foil, and frustrate. While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing.

the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

When is baffle a more appropriate choice than thwart?

The synonyms baffle and thwart are sometimes interchangeable, but baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling.

baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

When is it sensible to use balk instead of thwart?

The meanings of balk and thwart largely overlap; however, balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances.

officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

In what contexts can foil take the place of thwart?

In some situations, the words foil and thwart are roughly equivalent. However, foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort.

foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

When could frustrate be used to replace thwart?

The words frustrate and thwart are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent.

frustrated attempts at government reform

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of thwart During Trump’s first term, California had some success in thwarting his plans and policies. —

Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 Related article Police arrest Netanyahu aide as opponents accuse him of leaking intelligence to thwart Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal Israel’s political class has long speculated that Netanyahu would fire Gallant and replace him with a political ally to shore up his domestic power. —

Tara John, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024 Baca, who stepped down in 2014, was convicted of thwarting an investigation into his department’s troubled jail system and then lying to federal investigators about it. —

Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 In the end, all of the cardinals’ bickering and betrayal can’t thwart an ascension of feminine power that feels preordained. —

Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for thwart

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thwart

Verb

Knowing the source and making mistakes One of the things that frustrates me about some GAI systems is not knowing where the information comes from.

Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
Good security frustrates hackers, not users, so don’t go overboard with these measures.

Deepak Bhaskaran, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024