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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balk (at)
Verb
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According to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched in November to a residence in the Linville community of Marion after a caller reported a neighbor standing in their driveway screaming and refusing to leave the property despite having been warned previously.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026 -
Some exemptions for law enforcement agencies exist, but Cal-OSHA claims the sheriff’s office refused to prove its exemption, according to court documents.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Bonta rejected the allegations as unsubstantiated and said the states were targeted solely because of their political leadership.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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For at least the third time in just over a year, Humphrey has rejected most serious charges against rule-breaking cops.—
Stephanie Stremplewski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When asked about its plans, McDonald's declined to comment to Fox News Digital.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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Due to ongoing litigation, the airline declined to comment further.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The chance to reunite with Silverfield and his staff, including former Memphis offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, at Arkansas was too much to pass up.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Jan. 2026
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Still, the woman felt the opportunity was too valuable to pass up.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 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 11 Jan. 2026.
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