as in frustrating
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Dissimilar Words
as in thwarting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in hampering
to prevent from achieving a goal
a young man with big dreams who refused to be balked by the many challenges he faced in making them a reality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of balking
Washington Post,
10 June 2026
But Democrats are now balking at a long-term extension over their objections to Pulte.
—
John Parkinson,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
GitHub users who have grown accustomed to using its Copilot integration as part of their workflow are balking at cost estimates as the service moves toward per-token billing, rather than per-request billing, Ars Technica reports.
—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
2 June 2026
Philip Roth and John Updike can be accused of many things, but balking at full-frontal heterosexuality is not one of them.
—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
According to Puck, YouTube may sit out entirely after balking at splitting a five-game package with Netflix.
—
Bobby Burack Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Then came the eighth inning, which saw Yankees longman Ryan Yarbrough give up a grand slam to Jo Adell after balking and intentionally walking Trout.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
But out in the world, shoppers started balking at the cost of a bag of chips.
—
Wire Tbd,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Apr. 2026
But out in the world, shoppers started balking at the cost of a bag of chips.
—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
Higher education is under siege, with many students and parents balking at high costs.
—
Washington Post,
10 June 2026
But Democrats are now balking at a long-term extension over their objections to Pulte.
—
John Parkinson,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
GitHub users who have grown accustomed to using its Copilot integration as part of their workflow are balking at cost estimates as the service moves toward per-token billing, rather than per-request billing, Ars Technica reports.
—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
2 June 2026
Philip Roth and John Updike can be accused of many things, but balking at full-frontal heterosexuality is not one of them.
—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
According to Puck, YouTube may sit out entirely after balking at splitting a five-game package with Netflix.
—
Bobby Burack Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Then came the eighth inning, which saw Yankees longman Ryan Yarbrough give up a grand slam to Jo Adell after balking and intentionally walking Trout.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
But out in the world, shoppers started balking at the cost of a bag of chips.
—
Wire Tbd,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Apr. 2026
But out in the world, shoppers started balking at the cost of a bag of chips.
—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balking
Adjective
-
Two months after another frustrating playoff finish, the 76ers now look ahead with a reasonable expectation to be among the conference favorites next season.
-
Residents said the latest delay is especially frustrating because the pool also remained closed for much of last summer after a water line ruptured while it was being filled.
Noun
-
The attack’s thwarting was an undeniable success.
-
The thwarting of the Charlotte Hornets, one of the NBA’s fastest squads, is the quintessential White play.
Verb
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The sanctions are hampering work on a broad array of investigations at the court.
-
Winds of up to 50 mph stoked the flames and severely limited the fire response by hampering boat and aircraft access to the remote island.
Adjective
-
Would Huston be proud that this baffling story continues to find new audiences during the World Cup?
-
Astronomers may have finally cracked one of the most baffling mysteries about the Milky Way after decades of research.
Noun
-
Michael Howard is the principal engineer for the Delaware River Port Authority, which owns the crossing.
-
Forty ships transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler, a number still significantly lower than the average daily crossings before the war with Iran started in February.
Verb
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Technology led to the suspect's arrest Officers obtained doorbell camera footage, which showed a silver SUV stopping along a curb on Majors Choice Drive.
-
Its compact size and functional interior and exterior pockets will make zipping through airport security or stopping for gas on road trips a breeze — no more digging through disorganized totes to locate your wallet and phone.
Adjective
-
The winner was the player who avoided being blocked the longest — a blocking game, a category of strategy game where the objective centers on restricting your opponent’s movement.
Noun
-
Allied participation should likewise be expanded so that deterrence is shared rather than carried by Washington alone for the benefit of freeloaders who consume Middle Eastern hydrocarbons and fertilizers.
-
That is why ballistic missiles are central to nuclear deterrence.
Cite this Entry
“Balking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balking. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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