as in refusing
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
she balked at lending him any more money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balking (at)
Verb
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Trump has frequently been at odds with the NBA during his two terms in office, with big stars like Stephen Curry and LeBron James refusing invites during his first term in office.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026 -
In a shocking decision in February, Prasad rejected Moderna’s filing, refusing to even review the vaccine.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
18 June 2026
Verb
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In social services, the Legislature is rejecting a cut by the governor to popular in-home supportive service care funding for Californians with disabilities — including older adults and children.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
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Cornyn then doubled down, rejecting the premise that procedural effort can substitute for votes and escalating his criticism of Republican messaging.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Factors such as declining birth rates and families moving out of the city are contributing to declining enrollment at Denver Public Schools.—
Chierstin Roth,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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While one in three students nationwide experienced chronic absenteeism during the 2021-2022 academic year, the rate is declining, from up to 30% to roughly 24% by the start of the past school year, according to estimates from the Return 2 Learn tracker reviewed by ABC News.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The Supreme Court is staying out of a case about whether the Catholic Church misled parishioners about the purpose of an annual collection, passing up a chance to probe the independence churches have from government interference.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
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Simpson was back in Los Angeles for the first time since April 24, the day after the seemingly Super Bowl-ready Rams surprised many by passing up the opportunity to select a receiver to choose an Alabama quarterback with only 15 starts.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Tips for Reducing Home Cooling Costs To further maximize your energy savings, consider these tips for cooling your home without turning down the AC.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 June 2026
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Maybe the best thing to happen to the Phillies was Alex Cora turning down president Dave Dombrowski’s offer to replace Thomson.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Anthony had a cortisone shot last week and had begun throwing over the weekend.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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Next, a gentle tip-tap rippling through major East Coast cities, as the girls collectively add to cart whatever Holmes is toting or throwing over her shoulders.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
26 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Balking (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balking%20%28at%29. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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