What is another word for thwart ?

put a wrench in the works

throw monkey wrench in

second-guess

save

cease

beat someone to the punch

beat someone to the draw

pour cold water on

put a spanner in the works

throw a spanner in the works

throw a monkey wrench in the works

act like a wet blanket

take wind out of sails

monopolize^US

monopolise^UK

outmaneuver^US

slip through your fingers

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“Many people and corporations over the years had attempted to thwart his attempts at growing his ever-rising empire to new heights.”

Verb

throw a spanner in the works of

To stop or cause to stop making progress

balk^US

baulk^UK

deter

throw a monkey wrench in the works of

bring to a standstill

throw a spanner in the works

end

counter

postpone

prevent from making progress

not allow to go beyond

keep within the limits of

bring to screeching halt

throw a spoke in the wheel of

throw a monkey wrench into

put a spoke in someone's wheel

ostracize^US

ostracise^UK

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Verb

bring someone to their knees

To put an end to something, typically by the use of force

bring to screeching halt

pulverize^US

pulverise^UK

blow out of the water

trample underfoot

give someone a drubbing

give someone a hiding

make mincemeat of

put someone in their place

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Verb

hold one's ground against

To resist or endure (something) successfully

hold the line against

persevere in the face of

put up struggle

stand your ground

go the distance against

sit and take it

stand one's ground against

put up a fight against

set your face against

balk^US

baulk^UK

stand up and be counted against

criticize^US

come face to face with

criticise^UK

antagonize^US

antagonise^UK

meet eyeball-to-eyeball

blow out of the water

throw down the gauntlet at

match yourself against

drive a coach and horses through

knock the bottom out of

get into conflict with

be at each other's throats

go eyeball to eyeball with

come into conflict with

knock chip off shoulder

take the bull by the horns

go up against in contest

pitch oneself against

take wind out of sails

enter into combat with

express disagreement with

give someone the brush-off

give someone the go-by

look right through someone

tell someone where to get off

put in one's place

reprove

lash out at

give the cold shoulder

parry

come to close quarters with

have reservations about

entertain doubts about

squelch

quash

raise doubts about

harbour suspicions about

express reservations about

harbour reservations about

have hesitations about

raise objections to

express suspicions about

cast aspersions on

have suspicions about

give cold shoulder to

have an argument about

pick an argument with

argue the pros and cons of

bandy words concerning

be at sixes and sevens

lay into

jump on

let someone have it

contradict each other

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Verb

throw a spanner in the works of

To destroy or disrupt by means of sabotage

destabilize^US

destabilise^UK

throw a monkey wrench in the works of

be disadvantageous to

drive a nail into the coffin of

minimise^UK

minimize^US

demoralise^UK

demoralize^US

knock the bottom out of

outmaneuver^US

pull the rug out from under

rain on someone's parade

jeopardize^US

jeopardise^UK

throw monkey wrench in

vandalize^US

vandalise^UK

bastardize^US

discolour^UK

discolor^US

bastardise^UK

pulverize^US

put out of commission

vaporize^US

vaporise^UK

pulverise^UK

have a negative effect on

colour^UK

cause the sacrifice of

result in harm to

turn

strike at the foundations

color^US

throw a monkey wrench into

bring about the downfall of

bring someone to their knees

reduce the powers of

pull the teeth of

remove the sting from

wipe off the face of the earth

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Verb

pull the wool over someone's eyes

To deceive or fool someone

outmaneuver^US

victimise^UK

victimize^US

lead up the garden path

do the dirty on

give someone a bum steer

do someone in the eye

scam

lead down the garden path

maneuver^US

manoeuvre^UK

put on the wrong track

screw over

get the better of

run a game on

sell a bill of goods to

give the wrong impression

give wrong information to

send on a wild goose chase

throw dust in someone's eyes

worm one's way out of

slip something over on

play a practical joke on

double deal

put someone up to something

hypnotize^US

mesmerize^US

play fast and loose with

hypnotise^UK

mesmerise^UK

shave

play

give the runaround

send on a wild-goose chase

play games

twist around your little finger

exploit a loophole in

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Verb

To prevent or protect (something) from being destroyed

harbor^US

harbour^UK

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Verb

refuse to accept the authority of

To fail to conform to a regulation or obligation

balk^US

baulk^UK

set your face against

criticize^US

criticise^UK

take law into own hands

take part in an uprising

defy authority

refuse to obey orders

take part in an insurrection

mobilise^UK

mobilize^US

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Verb

put someone off their stroke

To discourage or overwhelm

demoralise^UK

demoralize^US

pour cold water on

throw cold water on

throw into a tizz

cause someone to lose their composure

knock the stuffing out of

appal^UK

appall^US

give someone the blues

terrorize^US

destabilize^US

terrorise^UK

destabilise^UK

bring tears to your eyes

pull the rug from under

cause suffering to

make one's heart bleed

dash hopes

pull the rug out from under

break someone's spirit

break someone's heart

dampen someone's spirit

traumatize^US

paralyse^UK

take the heart out of

traumatise^UK

paralyze^US

mess with someone's head

fill with consternation

louse up

muck up

knock the wind out of

harsh someone's mellow

bear down

make someone's heart bleed

give someone the hump

repress

droop

prostrate

dampen the spirits of

break one's heart

cause to lose heart

dampen someone's hopes

take the wind out of your sails

put someone off their stride

clutter

displease

gall

set someone back on their heels

stop someone in their tracks

agonize^US

agonise^UK

put out of countenance

tantalize^US

tantalise^UK

throw a monkey wrench in the works of

make someone's blood run cold

catch out

spring on

scare the bejesus out of

make a shambles of

throw a spanner in the works of

throw into a state of disorganization

take your breath away

make someone laugh out of the other side of their mouth

make someone laugh on the other side of their face

demobilize^US

demobilise^UK

balk^US

baulk^UK

make someone jump out of their skin

make jump

give someone a jolt

give a shock

give someone a fright

hurt somebody's feelings

drive you out of your mind

flap

weigh heavily on one's mind

make someone want to throw up

make someone feel nauseous

make a big thing out of

make a big thing of

make a meal of

make a mountain out of a molehill

outrage

make a thing of

scandalize^US

antagonize^US

scandalise^UK

antagonise^UK

give someone goose pimples

strike terror into

chill to the bone

chill to the marrow

raise someone's eyebrows

trip

scare the pants off

give someone the heebie-jeebies

throw into a panic

completely surprise

shake out of your complacency

hit like ton of bricks

put the fear of God into

chill someone's blood

frighten the living daylights out of

make flesh crawl

make someone's hair curl

catch on the hop

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Verb

put someone's nose out of joint

To deliberately hurt, annoy, or offend (someone)

give someone the hump

antagonize^US

antagonise^UK

drive round the twist

make somebody's hackles rise

ruffle one's feathers

rub you up the wrong way

set one's teeth on edge

victimize^US

victimise^UK

get up someone's nose

drive you up the wall

terrorize^US

get on the wrong side of

make an enemy of somebody

rattle someone's cage

terrorise^UK

make things hot for someone

make it hot for someone

put someone off their stroke

depress

give offence to

give offence

tread on someone's toes

cause offense

be disagreeable

hurt somebody's feelings

cause someone to lose their composure

be a pain in the neck

mix up

be a thorn in someone's side

tantalize^US

tantalise^UK

breathe down someone's neck

carp at

get on someone's case

dishonor^US

dishonour^UK

agonize^US

agonise^UK

demoralize^US

demoralise^UK

traumatize^US

traumatise^UK

criticize^US

appal^UK

appall^US

criticise^UK

weigh heavily on someone's mind

pressurize^US

pressurise^UK

scandalize^US

weigh heavily on one's mind

scandalise^UK

be a thorn in someone's flesh

dull

mess with someone's head

take the wind out of your sails

belabour^UK

breath down someone's neck

belabor^US

stroke someone's hair the wrong way

bring pressure to bear on

push someon's buttons

knock the wind out of

impose upon

cause inconvenience to

be the victim of

get on someone's back

lead someone a merry dance

lie heavy on someone's mind

weigh heavy on someone's mind

put someone off their stride

worst

make someone laugh on the other side of their face

make someone laugh out of the other side of their mouth

set someone back on their heels

be a weight on someone's mind

make severe demands on

put a strain on

tire out

start in on

create difficulties for

be a weight on one's mind

lose patience

drive you out of your mind

drive you off your head

drive you to distraction

make somebody's blood boil

drive you round the twist

make you see red

make livid

drive out of mind

drive you round the bend

exhaust someone's patience

give the cold shoulder

make someone's stomach rise

put out of countenance

tyrannize^US

knock the stuffing out of

harsh someone's mellow

make one's heart bleed

give someone the blues

make someone's heart bleed

make sad

reduce to tears

knock sideways

bring tears to your eyes

keep under

dash hopes

break someone's spirit

throw cold water on

break someone's heart

tyrannise^UK

stagger

make your head spin

make someone want to throw up

satirize^US

dampen the spirits of

cause to feel nauseous

turn stomach

cause to feel emotional strain

cause to feel mental strain

dampen someone's hopes

cause to lose hope

rot

cause someone difficulty

jeopardize^US

satirise^UK

make someone go out of his way

have an adverse effect on

jeopardise^UK

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Verb

engage someone's attention

To tease (someone) by offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach

tantalize^US

make your mouth water

keep someone hanging on

enthrall^US

enthral^UK

magnetize^US

magnetise^UK

mesmerize^US

mesmerise^UK

hypnotize^US

hypnotise^UK

galvanize^US

galvanise^UK

make an impression on

whet someone's appetite

take someone's fancy

turn someone on

get someone going

give someone a thrill

arouse the curiosity of

be a source of fascination to

capture your imagination

sit up

hold your attention

engage one's attention

whet one's appetite

pump up

arouse someone's interest in

fire the enthusiasm of

make wild

work up

fire the imagination of

tantalise^UK

maneuver^US

manoeuvre^UK

humour^UK

humor^US

sweep sombeody off his/her feet

hold the attention of

give someone a charge

give great pleasure to

do one's heart good

give joy to

monopolize^US

monopolise^UK

dangle a carrot in front of

put under magic spell

leave the door open to

fulfill^US

undermine someone's resistance

fulfil^UK

suit

glad

lead up the garden path

do someone's heart good

give someone pleasure

give pleasure to

buck up

make someone feel good

warm the cockles of the heart

request the pleasure of someone's company

invite out

talk someone into something

twist one's arm

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Verb

To confound or perplex someone

baulk^UK

balk^US

discompose

be all Greek to

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Verb

To make something more complex

render unintelligible

color^US

colour^UK

throw up smoke screen

baulk^UK

balk^US

be all Greek to