Stonewalling - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Stonewalling is refusing to communicate or cooperate, often by ignoring questions or delaying responses. It is commonly used to avoid discussion or confrontation in personal or professional settings.
Definition:
Deliberately delaying or obstructing progress by refusing to answer questions or cooperate.
Synonyms:
stalling, obstructing, delaying, evading
Part of Speech:
noun, gerund
Antonyms:
cooperating, assisting, facilitating
Common Collocations:
political stonewalling, stonewalling tactics, stonewalling behavior
Derivatives:
stonewaller, stonewalled
Usage Tips:
Use "stonewalling" to describe intentional obstruction, often in discussions or negotiations where someone refuses to engage.
Common Phrases:
hit a stone wall, stonewall tactics, political stonewalling
Etymology:
Derived from "stone wall," implying an immovable barrier; first used in the 19th century for obstructive tactics.
Examples:
- 1. The politician was accused of stonewalling during the investigation.
- 2. Her stonewalling frustrated everyone in the meeting.
- 3. The company’s stonewalling delayed the project for months.
- 4. He avoided questions by stonewalling the reporters.