stonewalling

[ stohn-waw-ling ]

noun

1. the act of stalling, evading, or filibustering, especially to avoid revealing politically embarrassing information.

Word History and Origins

Origin of stonewalling¹

First recorded in 1875–80; stonewall + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

In recent interviews she has made a habit of stonewalling, dodging and reformulating questions to render them amenable to stock, scripted responses.

From Salon

Many families accuse Mexican officials of stonewalling the investigation to mask official collusion and avoid paying any compensation.

From Los Angeles Times

Litigation of this stonewalling reached the California Supreme Court, which USA Swimming asked to vacate discovery orders.

From Salon

Dr. Chernin acknowledged how stressful those conversations can be, sometimes deteriorating into finger-pointing, belittling or stonewalling.

From New York Times

The highest-profile example of the stonewalling came last week when a Palestinian American doctor walked out of a meeting with Biden.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• ambiguous
• fleeting
• illusory
• incomprehensible
• puzzling
• slippery
• subtle
• tricky
• volatile