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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The parties have been in a standoff for days as Democrats, namely in the Senate, have refused to offer the necessary votes to pass a funding measure that would keep the government open beyond Tuesday.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025 -
Even after numerous prompt adjustments and desperate rephrasings, that feeling of the previous weeks’ intimate interactions refused to return.—
Jon Michael Varese,
The Atlantic,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At the time, Bailey denied claims that the film was initially rejected due to censorship but rather footage clearance and security concerns.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
27 Sep. 2025
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But his grades had been mediocre, and he was rejected right and left, which neither fazed nor surprised him.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office also declined to answer whether deputies assisted in the operation.—
Sophie Carson,
jsonline.com,
27 Sep. 2025
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Mortgage rates have been coming down, but there has yet to be a spike in homebuying activity—and one leading indicator has even declined.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
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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 Sep. 2025.
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