as in to refuse
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
she balked at lending him any more money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balk (at)
Verb
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Football has traditionally been a conduit for protests in Iran, with the national team refusing to sing the anthem on several occasions over recent decades, including during the 2009 Green Movement and after the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police in 2022.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026 -
However, the Portage Township Schools have refused to recognize autism as an educational eligibility category and have denied the boy autism-specific services, sensory accommodations and the proper behavioral interventions, the suit says.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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According to a California audit last month which analyzed open network traffic across more than 7,600 popular websites scanned from California, over half (55%) of sites set advertising cookies even after users explicitly rejected them.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
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His dwarfism led his mother to reject him, a natural response when something seems wrong.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After reviewing the case, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office and the Draper City Prosecutor have declined to file charges against Paul, citing insufficient evidence to prove allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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The California Supreme Court on Wednesday, April 15, declined to hear Eastman’s appeal of a lower court ruling recommending his disbarment, essentially certifying that recommendation.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Garden Deli is a go-to for fresh sandwiches and casual bites (don’t pass up a heaping portion of the homemade macaroni salad).—
Kristy Tolley,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
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These players aren’t afraid to shoot open shots, but are willing to pass up a good look for a great one.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Balk (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balk%20%28at%29. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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