verb
thwart
THWORT/θwɔːrt/
To prevent someone from achieving a goal.
The goalkeeper moves to thwart the opponent’s shot.
Etymology
The probable Old Norse ancestor means “across” or “transverse.” That crosswise idea connects with running counter to someone's intentions: thwarting a plan means opposing it so that it cannot succeed.
In context
… attempt to defeat the tall man in a variety of ways, but he is always able to thwart them.
More examples
- She devised a plan to thwart the fraud.
- The locked gate thwarted the intruder.
- Repeated interruptions thwarted his effort to finish.
Forms
thwart · thwarts · thwarted · thwarting