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
  • The bank froze the gold after the UK – along with the US and numerous other countries – refused to recognize Maduro as the winner of Venezuela’s disputed 2018 presidential election.
    — German Padinger, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • While The Athletic spoke to a dozen sources around the league for this story, almost all refused to comment for publication, even anonymously.
    — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of refused
Verb
  • If it is outright rejected and people burn down the theaters, cool.
    — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 22 July 2026
  • The lawsuit also claims that when the same group offered $100,000 to fund a study looking into whether the transition was needed and whether other options were available, the school rejected the proposal.
    — Chaewon Chung July 22, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of rejected
Verb
  • All the providers declined to speak with CNN about ongoing litigation.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 26 July 2026
  • People who improved their adherence to MIND over 10 years, including those who didn’t follow it closely at first, had a 25% lower risk of dementia than those whose adherence declined.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 25 July 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 27 Jul. 2026.

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