How to Use balk in a Sentence

balk

1 of 2 verb

• The horse balked and would not jump the fence.
• The runner on third base tried to make the pitcher balk.
• But Democrats balked at some of those asks.
  — Emily Brooks, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2026
• But Moreno balked then, and balked again the next year.
  — Ken Rosenthal, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
• Elvis balked about recording the oversexed song.
  — Kim Willis, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
• The costs of food and labor have surged, and diners balk when menu prices rise.
  — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Jan. 2023
• When the commission balked, the builders sued.
  — Laura Kinsler, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2025
• The Rwandans balked, but Qatar urged them to sign.
  — Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
• Hamas has balked at those conditions.
  — Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2025
• But Moreno balked then, and balked again the following year.
  — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 21 May 2026
• But activists have balked at the idea that flag waving could lead to arrests.
  — Beatriz Ríos, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2023
• Only one touched third base — and Brown balked him from first to second.
  — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
• Some people might balk at a near stranger’s sudden offer to jump on their idea.
  — Rebecca Ackermann, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2025
• But out in the world, shoppers started balking at the cost of a bag of chips.
  — Bloomberg, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
• But out in the world, shoppers started balking at the cost of a bag of chips.
  — Wire Tbd, Dallas Morning News, 8 Apr. 2026
• Today, house hunters are balking at lofty pricing.
  — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026
• Altman appeared to balk at the shift in his role at the company.
  — Max Zahn, ABC News, 9 June 2026
• Life at the helm of a startup is not for those who balk at the face of adversity.
  — Indiana (indy) Gregg, Forbes, 17 July 2023
• Of course, fewer games could mean less money for the players, and their union could balk at that idea.
  — Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
• The studio balked but Redford didn't take no for an answer.
  — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
• Who balk at the big bucks these former amateurs are making.
  — Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
• But my husband balks, especially if his plans need to be changed.
  — Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2024
• In the latter, exhibitors tried to double the fare but balked when demand dropped.
  — Michele Metychall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
• But miners balked at the taxes statehood would bring -- and opposed it.
  — Anna Alejo, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
• Dominican friends balked at my plan to rent a car and visit the rivers and cenotes alone last summer.
  — Mya Guarnieri, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
• When word of the potential event leaked, the officials balked.
  — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 Nov. 2023
• Then again, even Bucky and Buck might have balked at the show’s grandiose opening titles.
  — Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024
• The studios have balked at giving the union a veto over the use of AI.
  — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Oct. 2023
• Some investors are balking at paying those high prices and are instead looking for off-ramps.
  — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
• California house hunters balk as prices remain lofty.
  — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 20 Dec. 2025

balk

2 of 2 noun

• Toglia led off with a walk and advanced to third on a balk and passed ball.
  — Avi Sholkoff, Detroit Free Press, 9 June 2019
• Ramírez advanced on a balk and scored on a soft tapper to first.
  — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
• So, he was called for a balk, bringing the first run of the game across the plate.
  — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
• Sanmartin allowed six hits and two walks with a wild pitch and a balk.
  — Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 1 May 2022
• Slavens reached on a one-out hit and advanced to second base on a balk.
  — Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 23 Feb. 2021
• Before Iglesias threw his next pitch, he was called for a balk.
  — Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 21 Aug. 2020
• In the balks, on the edges of the fields where the birds flew and dropped seeds, wild cousins of wheat plants took root.
  — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
• If the runner gets back to the base safely, the pitcher is charged with a balk.
  — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023
• Right now, the only things that are out there and subjective are check swings and balks.
  — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026
• On a third step-off, a pitcher must either pick off the runner or be charged with a balk.
  — Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2022
• Paul Goldschmidt scored on a balk by Aaron Civale in the third.
  — Joe Harris, Star Tribune, 30 Aug. 2020
• Wallace leads off the inning with a walk then advances to second on a balk.
  — Seth Campbell, Arkansas Online, 12 May 2021
• The Braves got only six hits — all of them singles — and their lone run scored on a balk.
  — David Ginsburg, Star Tribune, 16 Sep. 2020
• He then was called for a balk in the sixth inning as the Guardians got back into the game.
  — Ben Church, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
• Simon stole second base and later scored on a balk on Klein.
  — Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026
• In the fifth, a balk put the runners in scoring position with just one out.
  — Patrick Z. McGavin, chicagotribune.com, 5 June 2021
• Iglesias followed with a run-scoring balk to tie it and set up Wong.
  — Steve Overbey, Star Tribune, 20 Aug. 2020
• He was charged with one wild pitch, one hit-by-pitch, one balk, and one pitch clock violation.
  — Gabrielle Starr, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2025
• Graterol was promptly called for a balk that advanced the runner to second base.
  — Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2021
• Rogers trotted home after the Friendswood pitcher was called for a balk.
  — Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, 15 June 2019
• The Sox got called for a balk, placing runners on second and third.
  — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
• Lynch stopped his throwing motion on his way down the slope, which resulted in the balk.
  — Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 3 Sep. 2022
• Hassell walked, went to second on a balk, and scored on a Nunez single.
  — Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
• But the Royals were able to score only one run despite three hits, a walk and a balk.
  — Baltimore Sun Staff, baltimoresun.com, 9 Aug. 2020
• North broke down the line from third base and forced the Mustangs pitcher to commit a balk.
  — Staff Reports, Star Tribune, 15 May 2021
• So far that’s been a tough sell as would-be investors, including those who are part of the first fund, balk.
  — Tim Culpan | Bloomberg, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2019
• Garcia didn’t see a potential balk.
  — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2026
• Lakins issued a leadoff walk that came around to score on a wild pitch, a balk, and a sacrifice fly.
  — Jon Meoli, baltimoresun.com, 30 June 2021
• The balks and furrows, left undisturbed, had other uses too.
  — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
• Manaea struck out LeMahieu but facing Judge was called for a balk.
  — Matt Kawahara, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 June 2021