🇮🇹Italian Source WordCode: IT

ostacolare

Pronunciation / Transliteration: /o.sta.koˈla.re/

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Stymie/ˈstaɪ.mi/
verbnounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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🇮🇹 Example Sentence in Italian:

"La burocrazia può ostacolare l'innovazione."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As verb
  1. 1

    To prevent or hinder the progress, success, or accomplishment of something.

    "Budget cuts threatened to stymie the research project just as it was getting started."
As noun
  1. 1

    A situation or problem that presents an unexpected obstacle or hindrance.

    "The sudden loss of funding created a major stymie for the development team."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Originally a term from the game of golf dating back to the mid-19th century, referring to a situation on the putting green where an opponent's ball blocked one's own. The word's ultimate etymology is uncertain, possibly related to Old Norse or Scottish dialect words meaning to strain or squint. Over time, it transitioned from a specific golf rule into a general verb meaning to thwart or obstruct.

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