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
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Recent Examples of balked
When Mamdani made a rent freeze a central part of his platform, the real-estate industry balked — unsurprisingly.
—
Clio Chang, Curbed, 6 Jan. 2026
Many aid agencies have balked at Israel’s new requirements.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
For his second Portable project, Cowley set his sights on Faulkner, but management balked.
—Vince Passaro, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Regulators balked when devices containing plutonium-238 started turning up in crematoriums and coffins.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Dec. 2025
Never Trump, which Pence balked at joining in 2016, was at least a somewhat influential force on the Right when the president first entered national politics.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 28 Dec. 2025
Spielberg ultimately offered to produce the movie rather than direct it himself, but Binder alleged that Spielberg balked when Affleck was cast to star in the movie.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
But members of Congress have balked at the idea, arguing the money should be used to lower the debt.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 18 Dec. 2025
The record-breaking government shutdown is set to drag on longer after Republicans balked at a potential compromise floated by Democrats on Friday.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Clio Chang, Curbed, 6 Jan. 2026
Many aid agencies have balked at Israel’s new requirements.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
For his second Portable project, Cowley set his sights on Faulkner, but management balked.
—Vince Passaro, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Regulators balked when devices containing plutonium-238 started turning up in crematoriums and coffins.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Dec. 2025
Never Trump, which Pence balked at joining in 2016, was at least a somewhat influential force on the Right when the president first entered national politics.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 28 Dec. 2025
Spielberg ultimately offered to produce the movie rather than direct it himself, but Binder alleged that Spielberg balked when Affleck was cast to star in the movie.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
But members of Congress have balked at the idea, arguing the money should be used to lower the debt.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 18 Dec. 2025
The record-breaking government shutdown is set to drag on longer after Republicans balked at a potential compromise floated by Democrats on Friday.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balked
Verb
-
Beyond cost, wealthy investors are also frustrated with service.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Brandes, frustrated by the lack of answers on testing in prisons, chimed in Thursday during a Florida Health Care Association conference call about the nursing home issue.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
At a vigil for the two on Sunday night, friends and family were baffled by the killing, the Allentown Morning Call reported.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Scientists are also baffled by how the planet could have formed at all.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
This isn’t the first time injuries have hampered Norfleet.—
Chase Gemes,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
-
All of these issues combined have left Target with a workforce that has grown faster than sales and a complex corporate structure that has hampered decision-making and created needless red tape.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Annie Palmer,Frank Holland,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But with the teams back to even strength a short time later, Kirill Kaprizov got loose in the middle of the offensive zone and made a rush to the net that was thwarted.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Unit 11000 of Iran’s Quds Force initiated the plot at the end of last year, and the plot was active earlier this year, but was thwarted over the summer, according to Axios.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Balked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balked. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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