Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

stonewall

/ˈstoʊnwɔl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.99 in modern English

Syllables
stone-wall
IPA
/ˈstoʊnwɔl/
12
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An obstruction.

noun

A refusal to cooperate.

verb

To obstruct.

Transitive verb

verb

To refuse to answer or cooperate, especially in supplying information.

Informal

adj

Certain, definite.

British usage

noun

Alternative letter-case form of stonewall (“alcoholic drink”).

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English stonwal, stone wall, stanewalle (“wall made of stone”), from Old English stānweall (“stonewall”), equivalent to stone + wall. The alcoholic drink (sense 3) was perhaps named thus because its effect was as potent as running into a stone wall.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: stonwal, stānweall

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈstoʊnwɔl/
  • British English: /ˈstəʊnwɔːl/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Homonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce stonewall?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈstoʊnwɔl/.
What does stonewall mean?
An obstruction.
Where does stonewall come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce stonewall

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “stonewall”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈstoʊnwɔl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “stonewall”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “stonewall” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.