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

Federal prosecutors at first balked at the extension request. — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026

Most similarly to this year’s plan, the TV Academy attempted to move seven categories to the Creative Arts Emmys in 2005, until the guilds balked. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 17 July 2026

Joy Behar balked at Alyssa Farah Griffin referencing her age during a discussion about Mitch McConnell’s health. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 July 2026

The liberal justices balked at the logic and criticized the conservative majority for harming minority representation in politics and culture. — ABC News, 2 July 2026

Democratic and some Republican secretaries of state balked, and federal lawsuits followed. — Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Hospitals are largely responsible for financing seismic construction upgrades, and the California Hospital Association has balked at the cost. — Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 28 June 2026

Many people quickly balked that degrees such as nursing, accounting, architecture and physical therapy were excluded and confined to loan limits of $20,500 annually and $100,000 over a lifetime. — Medora Lee, USA Today, 26 June 2026

Jolie balked at the term and struck a $64 million deal with the billionaire alcohol magnate, Yuri Shefler. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2026