balked (at)

verb

past tense of balk (at)
as in refused
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 balked (at)
  1. refused
  2. rejected
  3. declined
Verb
  • In February, Trump appointee Vinay Prasad—a Kennedy ally—refused to even review the vaccine, despite objections from FDA staff and career officials, shocking Moderna and the larger biomedical community.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Thursday's vote was along party lines, and came after Fauci refused to answer lawmakers' questions in a hearing last week about the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination.
    — Eric McDaniel, NPR, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of refused
Verb
  • Crump has also rejected notions from law enforcement officials that Wells may have drowned, citing the teenager’s ability to swim well and his athletic past.
    — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Florida Crystals consistently rejected those criticisms, saying the company complied with environmental regulations, invested heavily in conservation and upheld labor standards.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of rejected
Verb
  • In an email signed by Stephen Tanner, Prosper's director of community engagement & experiences, the town also declined to answer questions.
    — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Lochrie, the attorney representing the developers, declined to name them.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of declined
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

balked
balked (at)
balkiness
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Cite this Entry

“Balked (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balked%20%28at%29. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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