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
Example Sentences
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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
-
The final season picks up right where season 2 left off, with the deadly games resuming after Seong Gi-hun’s failed rebellion and Hwang Jun-ho continuing his search for the elusive island.—
Regina Kim,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Luckily, the late ’70s and the early ’80s helped reframe that perception, loosening the bounds of traditional beauty standards amid the era of punk rebellion.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
From director James DeMonaco, creator of The Purge franchise, actor-comedian Davidson plays Max in The Home, a rebellious twenty-something sentenced to community service at a quiet retirement home.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
10 July 2025
-
The story follows rebellious young demigod Ne Zha, who wrestles with his powers and the threat of humanity’s destruction.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Four years later, an America-first cultural crackdown has freed the Met to cast off the hair shirt of reckoning and celebrate its diverse holdings in a spirit of defiance.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
-
Small acts of defiance are happening in real life, too.—
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Tucked in a corner of the dining room is what Price claims is the last photo ever taken of the rebel abolitionist John Brown, set in an ornate and rusted frame.—
Kevin Lozano,
New Yorker,
6 July 2025
-
The bill passed in a vote Tuesday night but only after steep concessions to rebel lawmakers who opposed cuts to disability benefits.—
Chloe Taylor,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Pride celebrations are typically a daylong mix of jubilant street parties and political protest, but this year’s iterations took a more defiant stance as Republicans, led by President Trump, have sought to roll back LGBTQ+ rights.—
Philip Marcelo,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
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Mamdani’s outspoken support for Palestinian causes was a point of tension in the mayor’s race as Cuomo and other opponents sought to label his defiant criticism of Israel as antisemitic.—
Philip Marcelo,
Fortune,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
To address the effects of disrespect that women encounter, researchers point to resilience as a characteristic for successful women leaders to develop.—
Susan Madsen,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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And some supporters hesitated to show up, concerned their advocacy would be associated with what many saw as her disrespect toward Native Hawaiians and local fishers.—
Time,
Time,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
One of the people that is most stubborn in their support of these spendy projects is Senator Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana.—
Roger Valdez,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
For indoor brick, keep it simple by trying a slightly damp brush to sweep away stubborn dirt.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
This version of it will be complex, with significant power wielded by the United States and China but with major roles for other players, including an increasingly autonomous Europe, a recalcitrant Russia, and an ever more powerful India.—
REBECCA LISSNER,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
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Pulled along by Valérie like a recalcitrant puppy, Richard sets off on a quest to find the missing man, who may have ties to the Sicilian Mafia.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Balkiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balkiness. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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