bottleneck 1 of 3

noun

Definition of bottlenecknext
as in jam
a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement a bottleneck inevitably forms at the start of a construction zone when the highway narrows from three to two lanes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bottleneck

2 of 3

adjective

as in linear

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

bottleneck

3 of 3

verb

as in to dam

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bottleneck
Noun
Supply chain bottlenecks, and specifically SpaceX's efforts to make turbine vanes and blades in-house, may be another topic of discussion. — Kevin Stankiewicz,zev Fima, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2026 Thinking that writing code was the only bottleneck for deploying new software is like the Titanic seeing the tip of the iceberg and assuming there was nothing underneath it. — Brian Jenney, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
The demand for slots skyrocketed and the auction prices ballooned in recent weeks as a standoff between the Iran and the United States over access to the strait kept traffic bottlenecked. — Alma Solís, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026 Yet, sparse computations on the CPU are often bottlenecked by the indirect lookups used to find nonzero data. — Olivia Hsu, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bottleneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottleneck
  1. jam
  2. linear
  3. dam
  4. congestion
  5. compressed
  6. clog
  7. tight
  8. hinder
Noun
  • Hines put back a Mullins miss from beyond the arc with a one-handed jam and Landrew went on a personal 11-3 run with makes from all three levels.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The savory vol-au-vent with pear and onion jam, tart tamarind and pecorino cheese is ambitious, but the pastry itself was a bit heavy, the layers not quite flaky enough for the abundant stuffing.
    — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of jam
Adjective
  • But World Cup momentum drove results across linear TV and streamer ViX in Mexico, where TelevisaUnivision had rights to the matches.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Allen Media Group‘s portfolio includes the Weather Channel and other digital and linear networks, along with FAST and AVOD streaming platforms.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of linear
Verb
  • The ability to dam at least some of the daily overflow of misinformation and misrepresentation is one of the reasons for Pangram’s success and adoption, but Warner said that comes at a cost.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Then dams and expanding farmlands dried it up and turned it into a patchwork of fields, roads and towns.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of dam
Noun
  • People headed to O’Hare are a big source of Kennedy congestion.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Beyond alleviating school traffic and stadium congestion, the project serves as a major utility corridor.
    — Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of congestion
Adjective
  • Tesla says the thrusters are powered by compressed air, meaning the car can replenish its thrust capacity on-the-go.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The floor is made from compressed leather scraps produced during the brand’s manufacturing process.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of compressed
Verb
  • With the Hornets’ defense daring the Heat to make threes, the paint was clogged for Antetokounmpo.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Any type of foreign material can harm a hydrothermal feature, either by clogging the water supply, polluting the water or blocking its runoff channel, according to the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
    — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of clog
Adjective
  • Opinion polls predict tight race Domestically, Vucic has pledged higher pensions and public sector salaries, investment in state healthcare and subsidies for young couples.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Both parties expect whoever wins in November to do so by a tight margin in a state of 738,000 people.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of tight
Verb
  • Plus, there’s silica to softly blur the look of pores and texture without hindering your glow.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Oct. 2026
  • If pursued judiciously, this emphasis on security will not hinder cooperation between the United States and its allies but rather strengthen it.
    — Sam Mullins, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of hinder

Browse Nearby Words

bottle-feeds
bottleneck
bottlenecked
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Cite this Entry

“Bottleneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottleneck. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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