thwart

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /θwɔrt/ UK /θwɔːt/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like swart /θ/ vs /s/

Meanings

1

verb
to prevent someone from accomplishing something

Quick thinking by the guards thwarted the daring escape attempt.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to prevent someone from... foil frustrate block obstruct hinder stymie

Opposites

aid assist facilitate help

Word family

Derived forms thwartingthwarted

Simplified etymology

Thwart entered Middle English from Old Norse and ultimately goes back to the same Indo-European root as Latin torquere, “to twist.”

Etymology

From Middle English thwert ('across, crosswise'), borrowed from Old Norse thvert ('across'), neuter of thverr ('transverse'); the verb sense 'oppose, block' derives from going crosswise to a purpose.

thwert Middle English thvert Old Norse

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# thwart

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /θwɔrt/
**IPA (UK):** /θwɔːt/

## Meanings
1. to prevent someone from accomplishing something

## Examples
- Quick thinking by the guards thwarted the daring escape attempt.

## Synonyms
- foil
- frustrate
- block
- obstruct
- hinder
- stymie

## Antonyms
- aid
- assist
- facilitate
- help

## Derived Forms
- thwarting
- thwarted

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: thwert
- Root: thvert

## Etymology
From Middle English thwert ('across, crosswise'), borrowed from Old Norse thvert ('across'), neuter of thverr ('transverse'); the verb sense 'oppose, block' derives from going crosswise to a purpose.

## AI Etymology
Thwart is from Middle English thwert ('across, crosswise'), borrowed from Old Norse thvert ('across'), neuter of thverr ('transverse'); the verb sense 'oppose, block' derives from going crosswise to a purpose. Important recorded forms include thwert (Middle English) and thvert (Old Norse). The semantic development is already visible in the history: an older concrete or specialized use was extended into the modern meaning rather than replaced by a separate origin. In current use it covers to prevent someone from accomplishing something. The wider family includes derived forms such as thwarting and thwarted.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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