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)
Verb
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Hundreds of vehicles were caught in traffic jams on the outskirts of Islamabad, where many refused to turn back despite warnings.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026 -
At that time, the Turlock City Council refused to allocate a symbolic $1 and a letter of support that would have unlocked more than $270,000 in state funding for the city's only low-barrier shelter.—
Nina Burns,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Nearly a year before Kim debunked the rumors, Cheban rejected the claims during a March 2025 interview with Us Weekly, sharing sentiments similar to Kim’s about their differing lifestyles.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
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The ruling rejected the league’s attempt to force Flores into arbitration, which would have had Commissioner Roger Goodell serve as the arbitrator.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Bob Atrops hired a lawyer a week after Debe's body was found and declined to take a polygraph.—
Sarah Prior,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
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Market Performance The S&P 500 declined modestly last week.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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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 29 Jan. 2026.
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