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⇱ thwart - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

thwart

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈθwɔːrt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/θwɔrt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(thwôrt)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
thwart1 /θwɔrt/USA pronunciation   v. [~ + object]
  1. to oppose successfully:The general thwarted his opponent by making a brilliant defense of the city.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
thwart (thwôrt),USA pronunciation 
  1. to oppose successfully;
    prevent from accomplishing a purpose.
  2. to frustrate or baffle (a plan, purpose, etc.).
  3. [Archaic.]
    • to cross.
    • to extend across.

n. 
  1. Naval Termsa seat across a boat, esp. one used by a rower.
  2. Naval Termsa transverse member spreading the gunwales of a canoe or the like.

adj. 
  1. passing or lying crosswise or across;
    cross;
    transverse.
  2. perverse;
    obstinate.
  3. adverse;
    unfavorable.

prep., adv. 
  1. across;
    athwart.
  • Old Norse thvert across, neuter of thverr transverse; cognate with Old English thweorh crooked, cross, Gothic thwairhs cross, angry
  • Middle English thwert (adverb, adverbial) 1200–50
thwart′ed•ly, adv. 
thwart′er, n. 
    1. hinder, obstruct. Thwart, frustrate, baffle imply preventing one, more or less completely, from accomplishing a purpose. Thwart and frustrate apply to purposes, actions, plans, etc., baffle, to the psychological state of the person thwarted. Thwart suggests stopping one by opposing, blocking, or in some way running counter to one's efforts. Frustrate implies rendering all attempts or efforts useless or ineffectual, so that nothing ever comes of them. Baffle suggests causing defeat by confusing, puzzling, or perplexing, so that a situation seems too hard a problem to understand or solve.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
thwart /θwɔːt/ vb
  1. to oppose successfully or prevent; frustrate
  2. obsolete to be or move across
 n
  1. a seat lying across a boat and occupied by an oarsman
 adj
  1. passing or being situated across
 prep , adv
  1. obsolete across
Etymology: 13th Century: from Old Norse thvert, from thverr transverse; related to Old English thweorh crooked, Old High German twerh transverse
'thwart' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: thwart [their plans, an attack, our ambitions, them], their [plan] was thwarted (by), thwart all [plans, attempts, efforts], more...

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