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
Identify The Bottleneck​ First, identify the bottleneck before choosing the tool. — Joel Frenette, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Many enterprise and government AI bottlenecks are not purely algorithmic problems. — William Jones, USA Today, 11 Aug. 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
  • Feta and goat cheese make fine substitutions if blue cheese isn’t your jam.
    — Emily Paster, Midwest Living, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Jeff Hoffman allowed two runners in the eighth but escaped the jam, in part, due to Clemens making a diving stop on a hard grounder by Harris.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of jam
Adjective
  • In France, linear TV viewing among 25-49-year-olds has more than halved since 2015.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Its leaves fall not in a linear way but in just two weeks during the transition between summer and autumn.
    — Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of linear
Verb
  • Creek bottoms, especially those dammed by beavers, often are good wallow locations.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The drug boat campaign is the equivalent of trying to dam a river with a sheet of plywood.
    — Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of dam
Noun
  • When speaking to Georgetown’s appeal as a retirement destination, Whitlock also notes its relative affordability (and lack of congestion).
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Despite ongoing hurdles around interconnection queues and grid congestion, the scale of deployment shows developers are overcoming technical and regulatory barriers to support rising electricity demand from data centers and electrification.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of congestion
Adjective
  • The difference likely is multifold and surely part of a cumulative effect of compressed offseasons after playing 21 postseason games in the previous seven seasons.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The special primary, which took place just a month after Lindsey Graham's death, meant a compressed and sometimes chaotic campaign for the 10 candidates who ran to replace him.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of compressed
Verb
  • The chips leader doesn’t believe that frequent catch-ups with his 55 direct reports are the best use of his time, given that a continuous stream of meetings would only clog up his work schedule and slow him down.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • These fun masks foam up on the skin to remove dirt, oil, debris, and other pollutants that can clog your pores.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of clog
Adjective
  • Luchanko often creates chances for his teammates on the move, in tight and off the edge.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • If money is tight, families tend to prioritize keeping boys in school, even if girls show more promise, experts say.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of tight
Verb
  • Avoiding the storm-hindering winds would give it a better shot at becoming a tropical depression or storm.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Picking the material and making a design that would not hinder the astronaut’s movements was another.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 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 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bottleneck for Spanish Speakers

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