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

As eastern Connecticut in the past couple of years has become an economic development hotspot, many very small towns have balked at worsening traffic and noise along with the loss of the rural lifestyle. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026

However, the fact that the European ministers who provide funding for Ariane 6 balked at these upgrades may indicate growing impatience with the rocket’s cost. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has balked at negotiating a peace deal directly with Zelenskyy, asserts that the Ukrainian president is an illegitimate leader because his term expired in 2024. — Barry Hatton, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin has balked at negotiating a peace deal directly with Zelensky. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Others balked at the cost of the $20 million project – $5-6 million for bike lanes alone – as the city faces a $30 million structural budget deficit and is also seeking a $300 million bond measure for general infrastructure on the November ballot. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026

Democratic activists balked, Hilton stepped down and investments dried up. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026

And, while other states had balked at the fifty-million-dollar price tag that Hubbard deemed necessary for the clinical trials, Texas had ended the year with a twenty-four-billion-dollar budget surplus from oil and gas revenues. — Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026

Rave reviews from automotive journalists and the truck's ability to serve as a backup generator were not enough to sway consumers who balked at its high price. — Morgan Korn, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026