From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthwartthwart /θwɔːt $ θwɔːrt/ ●○○ verb [transitive] formal to prevent someone from doing what they are trying to do Fierce opposition thwarted the government’s plans. thwarted ambition→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
thwart• This revolution, how-ever, was thwarted almost at once.• Apart from anything else, by both thwarting and manipulating nationalism, it prevented it from learning its limits.• An attempt to smuggle heroin worth £30 million into the country has been thwarted by customs officials.• Efforts to clean up the oil spill have been thwarted by storms.• However, the council of ministers, divided on every other issue, combined to thwart her.• During Yeltsin's campaign for the presidency Gorbachev had at times quite blatantly attempted to thwart him.• Harry knew now that nothing could thwart his plans.• People whose appetite for encryption may be thwarted righteously, effectively, and harshly.• It would have to reach 448. 95 or less to thwart the Lockheed Martin-Loral combination.• Moreover, it alerts us to the fact that short-sighted tactics may thwart the overall strategy.• Congressional Republicans have made clear their intention to thwart these efforts.Origin thwart (1300-1400) thwart “across” ((13-19 centuries)), from Old Norse thvert 