Meaning & use
stonewalling
Last updated
“stonewalling” is a form of “stonewall”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountable
Refusing to answer questions or cooperate, in order to delay or avoid giving information.
Grammar: No plural: the stonewalling continued.
Patterns
- stonewalling by someone
- stonewalling over something
The council's stonewalling frustrated reporters.
His constant stonewalling ended the discussion.
Stonewalling by the company delayed the inquiry.
verbtransitive or intransitive
The -ing form of stonewall: refusing to give answers, or deliberately delaying or blocking something.
Grammar: Often with no object: he is stonewalling; or with one: stonewalling the investigators.
Patterns
- stonewalling someone
- stonewalling about something
The minister is stonewalling the committee.
She kept stonewalling when asked about the payment.
They are stonewalling instead of explaining.
Word forms
| base form | stonewall |
|---|---|
| third person singular | stonewalls |
| past tense | stonewalled |
Common combinations
- accuse someone of stonewalling
- Reporters accused the mayor of stonewalling.
- stonewalling tactics
- Their stonewalling tactics angered voters.
- stonewalling the investigation
- Officials were stonewalling the investigation.
- emotional stonewalling
- Emotional stonewalling can harm a marriage.
Synonyms and how they differ
- evasion
- Evasion means dodging a question cleverly, while stonewalling is blunt refusal to engage.
- obstruction
- Obstruction is stronger and often legal, while stonewalling is mainly refusing to talk.
- silent treatment
- Silent treatment is personal and punishing, while stonewalling is often official or defensive.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: stonewalling or stone walling?
stonewalling vs stone walling
Stone walling as two words is building walls of stone, a literal craft, not refusing to talk.
Practice
A company that refuses to answer journalists' questions is ___.
Choose one answer.
Stonewalling means refusing to engage or give information. The other words are unrelated terms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stonewalling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.