as in rebellion
refusal to obey
the teen's unrelenting balkiness was truly frustrating
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
a balky toddler who only seemed to know the word "no" when told to do something
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of balkiness
Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Getting Mitchell off the ball more also balanced the offense and eased the load on Mitchell’s balky knees … and worked so well that the Cavs led the league in offensive efficiency.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
The reality is Stroman’s struggles began long before the bad weather and balky knee on Friday.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2025
After balky hamstrings saddled him with an injury-prone label, Fulton has set career highs for tackles (51) and games (15).
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for balkiness
Adjective
Or trying to pay when the driver had no change or only a balky credit card device?
—Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Getting Mitchell off the ball more also balanced the offense and eased the load on Mitchell’s balky knees … and worked so well that the Cavs led the league in offensive efficiency.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
The reality is Stroman’s struggles began long before the bad weather and balky knee on Friday.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2025
After balky hamstrings saddled him with an injury-prone label, Fulton has set career highs for tackles (51) and games (15).
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for balkiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balkiness
Noun
-
Call it nostalgia or a rebellion against the clean functionality of minimalism, but romantic, decorative textiles are having a moment.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
13 Aug. 2025
-
In a world that equates stress with productivity, peace becomes a form of rebellion—and power.—
Jonathan Low,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The story follows Bárbara, rebellious and broke, who fakes her way into a convent for a private room and some peace—only to find herself on an unexpected spiritual journey.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 Aug. 2025
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The town’s rebellious spirit and dreamy beach backdrop attracted a who’s who in music, from Duke Ellington in the 1920s to Led Zeppelin, who skipped Woodstock in 1969 to play the Asbury Park Convention Hall.—
Jen Murphy,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
North Korea, now a front-line participant in the war in Ukraine, continues to launch missiles in defiance of sanctions.—
Anthony Trotter,
ABC News,
6 Aug. 2025
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In a sign of the party's divide, Democrats have continued to push for a national redistricting panel that would remove partisanship from the process, even as some call for retaliation against Republicans in defiance of state limitations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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After all, in Andor, a rebel alliance pushes back against an emperor.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Aug. 2025
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Martial law and a state of emergency would be imposed in more than 60 townships across nine regions and states due to the threat of violence and insurgency, the report said, many in border areas where the military is facing unprecedented resistance from rebel groups.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In its 56th edition, the photography festival, running until 5th October, embraces the provocatively defiant theme Disobedient Images, under the directorship of Christoph Wiesner.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Even postgrads, navigating early adulthood in a shifting economic landscape, leaned into the aesthetic, dressing with a kind of defiant playfulness that pushed back against the pressure to look older.—
Alexandra Jane,
Essence,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
Elizabeth’s reaction to the very public display of disrespect by her son is Emmy-worthy all on its own for Rashad.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
14 Aug. 2025
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While attempting to address the MTA’s anti-Israel agenda, Jewish guest speakers at board meetings faced blatant disrespect.—
Joanna Honig,
Boston Herald,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For Baxter and the stubborn Scot, this marked, at last, the reality of war’s end.—
Charles Pellegrino,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
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Here’s the case for Scorpio: Wednesday is suss, secretive, brooding, vengeful and stubborn.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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With Iranian power and influence waning, and with the challenges of an ascendant China and a recalcitrant Russia necessarily dominating the American national security agenda, indifference may appear to be the most appealing option for Washington.—
Suzanne Maloney,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Aug. 2025
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In that case, the Saudis would bring greater pressure to be on their recalcitrant partners.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Balkiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balkiness. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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