stymie

UK: /ˈstaɪmi/ US: /ˈstaɪmi/ ,(stī′mē)

Inflections of 'stymie' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

stymies

v 3rd person singular

stymieing

v pres p

stymied

v past

stymied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

sty•mie or sty•my or sti•my /ˈstaɪmi/   v. [~ + object] , -mied, -mie•ing or -my•ing. 

1. to block or prevent (someone or something) from proceeding or going forward:
   This latest setback stymied our efforts to achieve peace.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

sty•mie  (stī′mē), n., v., -mied, -mie•ing. 
n. 

1. Sport [Golf.] (on a putting green) an instance of a ball's lying on a direct line between the cup and the ball of an opponent about to putt.
2. a situation or problem presenting such difficulties as to discourage or defeat any attempt to deal with or resolve it.

v.t. 

3. to hinder, block, or thwart.

Also, stymy, stimy. 

• origin, originally uncertain 1855–60

Synonyms

• 3. . stump, mystify, frustrate, confound.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stymie, stymy / ˈstaɪmɪ/ verb ( -mies, -mieing, -mied, -mies, -mying, -mied)(tr; often passive)

1. to hinder or thwart
2. to impede with a stymie

noun ( -mies)

1. (formerly) a situation on the green in which an opponent's ball is blocking the line between the hole and the ball about to be played: an obstructing ball may now be lifted and replaced by a marker
2. a situation of obstruction

Etymology: 19th Century: of uncertain origin