This is the 9201st most frequent French word.
contrecarrer
To thwart or oppose.
Here, 'contrecarrer' means to actively oppose or prevent the success of someone's plans.
Il a essayé de contrecarrer mes plans, mais j'étais prêt.
He tried to thwart my plans, but I was prepared.
In this context, 'contrecarrer' refers to something impeding or hindering a progress or effort.
Les obstacles ont contrecarré nos progrès vers la solution.
The obstacles hindered our progress towards the solution.
In this sentence, 'contrecarrer' signifies arguing against or neutralizing points made by others.