WordGarden.iostonewall
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /stˈəʊnwɔːl/
US
- /ˈstoʊnˌwɔl/
Meanings
Verb
to delay or block action by refusing to cooperate or give clear answers
Noun
a tactic or instance of deliberate obstruction or refusal to cooperate
Proper-noun
the Stonewall uprising, the Stonewall Inn, or the LGBTQ rights movement associated with them
Beyond the definition
To stonewall someone means to deliberately block progress or refuse to answer questions, as if you were putting up a wall and giving the other person no way through. It is often used when someone will not share information, will not make a decision, or keeps giving vague answers to delay things. You might see it in politics, at work, or at home. If your little brother is being questioned about who ate the last cookie, he might stonewall you by crossing his arms and saying, "I have no comment."
Stonewalling is not always complete silence. Sometimes it means dodging the issue, changing the subject, or giving answers that do not help. For the other person, it feels like hitting a dead end in the conversation. No matter how they try to move things forward, they keep running into a hard stop.
"Stonewall" describes the act of deliberately blocking progress or refusing to cooperate, especially by staying silent, avoiding direct answers, or giving replies that do not move things forward. The image behind the word is simple: a stone wall is hard to get through, and a person who does this makes progress feel just as difficult.
The word is common in politics and legal settings. A public official may be accused of stonewalling when they refuse to answer questions or delay handing over documents. A company can also be said to stonewall if it keeps avoiding clear answers during an investigation or a dispute. In these cases, the idea is not just disagreement. It is deliberate delay or refusal to engage in a useful way.
The word is also widely used in personal relationships. Someone may stonewall a partner by shutting down during an argument, refusing to discuss a problem, or acting as if the other person's concerns do not exist. For example: "After years of marriage, she felt he was stonewalling her and refusing to discuss their financial problems." In this sense, the word suggests emotional distance as well as obstruction.
Whether it appears in politics, law, work, or private life, "stonewall" suggests an intentional refusal to help a conversation or process move ahead. It means putting up resistance, blocking communication, and making resolution harder than it needs to be. In everyday use, it often implies frustration on both sides, because one side wants progress and the other side keeps the wall standing.
Examples
- 1
Customer support
When I asked for a refund, customer support just stonewalled me.
- Patternstonewall someone
refuse to answer or help
- 2
Sports media
The coach stonewalled reporters after the loss.
- 3
Political issue
The minister has been stonewalling on the housing issue for months.
- Patternstonewall on + issue
avoid giving clear answers about it
- 4
Divorce settlement
He's still stonewalling over the divorce settlement.
- Patternstonewall over + dispute
delay progress by not cooperating
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Negotiations
If both sides keep stonewalling, the talks will fail.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- evade
- filibuster
- clam up
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- stonewall an investigation
- stonewall reporters
- stonewall questions
Word family
Explore
- obstructionism
- noncooperation
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- stonewallverb
Forms
- stonewalling-ing formverb
- stonewalledpast tenseverb
- stonewallsverb