as in frustrating
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as in thwarting
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of balking
Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025
Progressive Democrats are balking, citing a lack of clarity on healthcare subsidies.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
According to Disney, the carriage fee increases that Google is balking at are in line with what Disney has successfully negotiated with other distributors, including it own Hulu + Live TV and Fubo services.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
After years of balking, the Intelligence Community is now embracing this commercial turn.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
San Diego hotel and restaurant owners are balking at a city proposal to charge them steeply higher fees for their valet parking spaces and on-street outdoor dining areas.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
Other comedians have pointed to the inconsistency of balking at performing in Saudi Arabia when other governments around the world also sponsor morally unjustifiable actions.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Soliman’s legal team filed statements from all three balking at how DHS had cherry-picked their research.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
As age checks become more commonplace across the Internet due to regulatory pressure globally, people motivated to defend digital freedom are balking and increasingly banding together, Gerfdas said.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
Some Fed officials are balking at further cuts while inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025
Progressive Democrats are balking, citing a lack of clarity on healthcare subsidies.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
According to Disney, the carriage fee increases that Google is balking at are in line with what Disney has successfully negotiated with other distributors, including it own Hulu + Live TV and Fubo services.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
After years of balking, the Intelligence Community is now embracing this commercial turn.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
San Diego hotel and restaurant owners are balking at a city proposal to charge them steeply higher fees for their valet parking spaces and on-street outdoor dining areas.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
Other comedians have pointed to the inconsistency of balking at performing in Saudi Arabia when other governments around the world also sponsor morally unjustifiable actions.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Soliman’s legal team filed statements from all three balking at how DHS had cherry-picked their research.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
As age checks become more commonplace across the Internet due to regulatory pressure globally, people motivated to defend digital freedom are balking and increasingly banding together, Gerfdas said.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balking
Adjective
-
The redshirt senior quarterback is the crown jewel of the Knights’ 2026 transfer class, bringing with him the hope of improvement from a frustrating 5-7 season in 2025.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2026
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Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens sees expanding MARTA into Cobb and Gwinnett counties as a key step toward better regional connection, while metro Atlanta residents continue to struggle with traffic congestion that’s both frustrating and dangerous.—
Riley Bunch,
AJC.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This left the country without a regular budget for next year and is hampering plans for long-overdue structural reforms and decisions on use of EU support funds.—
Veselin Toshkov,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Dec. 2025
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Decades-old grids in the US are hampering new energy rollouts, and Spain’s huge blackout in April was blamed on an aged system unable to cope with power swings.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
29 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Just weeks later, Vancouver made the baffling, short-sighted decision to keep Pius Suter, Brock Boeser, and Derek Forbort rather than sell them at the trade deadline.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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The baffling discovery was made near sunset on New Year’s Day, about an 8-mile drive northeast from Salisbury.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Reaching the summit requires a strenuous 15-mile hike round-trip, with water crossings, loose rocks, and a steep climb at altitude.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
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And Miller expects regular updates on detention capacity, deportation flights, and border crossings.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Justin was arguably United’s man of the match, personally thwarting Florian Wirtz with two last-gasp blocks in the first half as a wing-back, before proving equally dependable at centre-back in the latter stages.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2026
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Askarov finished with 20 saves for the Sharks, including thwarting Quinn Hughes on an overtime breakaway.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Continue reading … POWER PLAY — US raid in Venezuela signals deterrence to adversaries, experts say.—
,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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When California signals that even the most extreme acts of school violence may eventually be reconsidered and reduced, deterrence erodes — and schools become collateral damage in the process.—
Tracie Thill,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Rhode founder and her stylist Dani Michele delivered a show-stopping moment on the red carpet, pulling a shimmering 2009 Armani Privé gown from the archives.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
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Stroll through the Funk Zone, stopping at wineries, breweries, and local shops along the way.—
Chantelle Kincy,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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British officials downplayed the pause as temporary, insisting momentum would resume amid complex negotiations, but the impasse signals broader frustrations with Europe’s regulatory posture toward American innovation, market access, and economic sovereignty.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Emotions were on full display with many expressing sadness and frustration, not only over Wednesday's federal raid, but raids happening around the Twin Cities over the last 40 days.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Balking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balking. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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