as in frustrating
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as in thwarting
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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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Recent Examples of balking
Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026
However, the Hawks don’t appear to be the only team balking at the thought of him on another long-term max deal.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
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
Verb
Today, house hunters are balking at lofty pricing.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026
However, the Hawks don’t appear to be the only team balking at the thought of him on another long-term max deal.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balking
Adjective
-
In his own work, the Governor has sought to smooth corners, frustrating some organizers.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Few dynamics in tennis are more frustrating than earning chances to break an opponent and then not even being able to start a point, especially in a major final.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The wintry blast, after hampering malls and stores Sunday, is making travel challenging Monday with roads still presenting treacherous conditions, coated by a mixture of frozen precipitation.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Elon Musk warned the biggest issue hampering AI advancement in the United States is a problem Chinese competitors don’t have.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In fact, looking at the film as an adult can feel a tad baffling, watching teens sweat and cry and emote over what feel like non-issues.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Tian's team explored several possible explanations for this baffling isotopic composition.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Waiting on both sides Officials say the number of crossings could gradually increase if the system works, with Israel and Egypt vetting those allowed in and out.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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The crossing has been largely closed since May 2024, when Israeli forces captured the Palestinian side, and its reopening is part of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Revolution is developing drugs that target a molecular driver of cancers known as RAS and its experimental drugs seek to block the driver, thereby thwarting common cancers including lung, pancreatic, and colon that have proven difficult to treat.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
26 Jan. 2026
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As a Chicago police officer, O'Grady won the CPD's Blue Star Award for suffering a critical gunshot wound while thwarting the armed robbery of a woman during the holiday shopping season on State Street downtown in 1971, according to his obit.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in 1949 to counter the security threat posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and its deterrence is underpinned by a strong American troop presence in Europe.—
Lorne Cook,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
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According to the report, the systems were activated to disrupt and warn off foreign aircraft, offering a rare glimpse into how Beijing integrates electronic warfare into its maritime patrols and regional deterrence strategy.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the day wears on, the interview subjects recall their WhatsApp groups lighting up, until more people from the surrounding buildings add to the sea of residents stopping the van from taking off.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
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Teams will fill the rocket’s tank with more than 700,000 gallons of super-cold fuel, stopping a half-minute short of when the engines would light.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Republicans argue the region’s frustrations reflect years of structural failures under Cooper’s disaster management system, stretching back to earlier storms.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
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The Dane may well share his captain’s frustration at the lack of January signings, but Romero surely cannot repeatedly publicly criticise Spurs and escape punishment.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Balking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balking. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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