What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
stymie
Example
The company was stymied by the lack of funding for their project. [stymied: verb]
Example
The stymie in the road caused a traffic jam. [stymie: noun]
thwart
Example
The detective thwarted the criminal's plan to rob the bank. [thwarted: verb]
Example
The bad weather thwarted our plans to go on a picnic. [thwart: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Thwart is more commonly used than stymie in everyday language. Thwart is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while stymie is less common and has a more specific usage.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between stymie and thwart?
Both stymie and thwart are formal words that are not commonly used in casual conversation. However, thwart is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.