thwarting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "thwarting" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the act of preventing someone from accomplishing something or stopping a plan from succeeding. Example: "The hero's quick thinking was crucial in thwarting the villain's evil scheme."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is to understand it so the UK can maximise its chances of thwarting it.

The Guardian - Opinion

Where adventure stories used to depict a landscape alive with youngsters finding buried treasure, thwarting robbers and rounding up Nazi spies, the constraints on modern children mean authors must now invent whole fantastic worlds before their young heroes can enjoy any freedom.

The Guardian - Opinion

Keeping us in the dark is not, apparently, about saving the government embarrassment but thwarting people smugglers and protecting asylum seekers from prying eyes.

The Guardian

That prospect has a good deal to do with privileged access to big money thwarting equality of opportunity, and the Clinton campaign's reported ambitions to spend an extraordinary $2bn persuading the people to embrace their woman only underlines the plutocratic threat to the world's proudest democracy.

The Guardian - Opinion

Take the Vietnam war, the shadow that would hang over the 1960s, thwarting its attempts to be the decade of peace and love.

The Guardian

Elvis Costello refused to have any association with the Olympics, thwarting Boyle's plan to use the song Shipbuilding in the sequence on industrialisation.

The Guardian - Film

Ian Bell, Warwickshire's top-order batsman, was imperious in his intent of thwarting Sussex's thoughts of a victory at Edgbaston Durham v Northamptonshire Northants give chase but Durham's Jamie Harrison hinders momentum.

The Guardian - Sport

Far from thwarting agreement, the atrocity in Delhi nudged Pakistan, in particular, into making the concessions needed to reach it.

The Economist

But it reminds the reader of two things about cities. First, people have a habit of thwarting plans; one architect's urban park is another man's caravan site, or mattress dump.

The Economist

Yet 100 days after Kosovo declared independence, Serbia has done a lot better than anybody expected in thwarting the EU's plans for it.Serbia still regards Kosovo as a province, but the ethnic Albanians, who constitute over 90% of its 2m people, declared its independence in February.

The Economist

She did indeed hold the office in 2001-04 though she assumed it after the impeachment of her predecessor, and in both 2004 and 2009 was defeated in direct elections by Mr Yudhoyono.For all the Javanese deference Jokowi has bestowed on her, she may instinctively have regarded him as a usurping upstart, thwarting yet another tilt at the presidency.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "thwarting" to convey a sense of active prevention or obstruction, particularly when referring to plans, efforts, or ambitions.

Common error

Avoid using "thwarting" to describe situations where prevention isn't the primary focus; use more general terms like "affecting" or "influencing" instead.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "thwarting" is as a present participle or gerund of the verb "thwart". It is used to describe the act of preventing someone or something from succeeding. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "thwarting" is a versatile verb form primarily functioning as a present participle or gerund, denoting the act of preventing or obstructing something. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage, with examples demonstrating its prevalence in news and media contexts. While grammatically sound, its usage is best suited for neutral to formal registers, emphasizing deliberate prevention rather than mere influence. Alternative phrases like "preventing" or "obstructing" can be used depending on the specific nuance desired.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

preventing

Focuses on stopping something from happening, often before it starts.

obstructing

Emphasizes the act of creating an obstacle or hindrance.

hindering

Suggests slowing down or impeding progress.

impeding

Implies making it difficult for something to advance or succeed.

counteracting

Highlights the action of neutralizing or opposing something's effect.

foiling

Emphasizes successfully preventing a plan or attempt from succeeding.

baffling

Implies confusing or frustrating someone's plans.

frustrating

Focuses on causing someone to feel annoyed or discouraged by preventing them from achieving something.

neutralizing

Suggests rendering something ineffective or harmless.

derailing

Implies causing something to go off course or fail.

FAQs

How to use "thwarting" in a sentence?

You can use "thwarting" to describe the action of preventing someone's plans or efforts from succeeding. For example, "The security measures were crucial in "thwarting" the attack".

What can I say instead of "thwarting"?

You can use alternatives like "preventing", "obstructing", or "hindering" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "thwarting" or "affecting"?

"Thwarting" implies directly preventing something, while "affecting" simply means having an influence. The correct choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the element of prevention or not.

What's the difference between "thwarting" and "frustrating"?

"Thwarting" refers to the act of successfully preventing something from happening, while "frustrating" focuses on the feeling of annoyance or discouragement that results from being prevented. It's more about the intention vs the emotion.