Synonyms of balked

balked

verb

past tense of balk

as in frustrated

to prevent from achieving a goal

a young man with big dreams who refused to be balked by the many challenges he faced in making them a reality

Synonyms & Similar Words

• frustrated
• baffled
• hampered
• thwarted
• stopped
• defeated
• halted
• prevented
• foiled
• discomfited
• hindered
• impeded
• overcame
• blocked
• checkmated
• stalled
• beat
• obstructed
• arrested
• checked
• inhibited
• handicapped
• precluded
• hobbled
• barred
• encumbered
• shackled
• obviated
• averted
• tied up
• conquered
• interfered (with)
• held back
• clogged
• nullified
• set back
• forestalled
• neutralized
• negated
• counteracted
• fettered
• short-circuited
• offset
• manacled
• trammeled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encouraged
• advanced
• promoted
• forwarded
• cultivated
• assisted
• fostered
• aided
• furthered
• nurtured
• facilitated
• eased
• smoothed
• abetted

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of balked

After a home run by Cedric Mullins trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Cole Sulser yielded a leadoff single to slumping Angel Martínez in the ninth and balked him to second base. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Some investors balked at its lack of a track record, while others were unnerved by Volta’s reliance on Anthropic to buy much of the data center’s compute. — Ellen Dimauro, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026

When a Pomona business owner balked at paying for protection, Argumedo showed up with a gun and loaded the business’ property into a U-Haul truck, prosecutors wrote in a complaint filed earlier this year. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

The powers that be balked at the sequel’s 48 percent drop from the first installment’s $125 million worldwide gross, which outperformed any and all expectations back in 2017. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

After an anecdote having to do with cocaine use in another band around the time that guitarist Jimmy McColloch departed, Apatow asked if drugs were a big issue in Wings starting to fall apart in the late ’70s, but McCartney balked at that idea. — Chris Willman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026

Others balked at the shortage of information being provided, and warned that the public should get specifics about any retail expected for the property. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026

That’s the same amount that tipped workers will make next year in Denver, where city leaders have so far balked at adjusting wages. — Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2026

After doctors recommended a shunt implant into his brain, Joel balked. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026