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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In addition to the DUI, Woods faces additional charges for refusing the urine test.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026 -
He was jailed on a count of DUI after refusing to take a urine test, which carries an additional charge.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The same year, an appeals court said a lawsuit against Snapchat over a speed filter feature involved in deadly car crashes could proceed, rejecting the company's argument that the case should be thrown out on Section 230 grounds.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
3 Apr. 2026
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Union leaders said negotiations have stalled for months, and are accusing BP of rejecting their proposals on jobs, pay, and safety.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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European luxury is entering a high-stakes first-quarter reporting period as sentiment has taken a decisive hit, just as many of the sector's big names were nearing a turning point after years of declining sales.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Royal Navy has shrunk dramatically since the Cold War ended, with combat-ready ships declining from 166 in 1975 to 66 in 2025, following decades of military spending cuts.—
Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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During the costly possession when the Rebels let the shot clock expire with 41 seconds left, Thienou surprised her coach by passing up a shot while the crowd was roaring and clearly distracting the visitors.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Redick pointed to Luka Doncic’s season-high 15 assists, which were lost in the noise of the Slovenian star passing up a potential game-winning 3-pointer.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But after turning down the 30-year payout, the winnings dropped to $57 million before taxes.—
Dave Lieber,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026
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Shortly after turning down the big job, her career took on a whole new direction.—
Kemi Alemoru,
Glamour,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pitchers are allowed two disengagements per plate appearance, either throwing over to first base or stepping off the rubber, or a combination of both.—
Abbey Mastracco,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
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The zone-heavy Chargers forced Hurts to beat them by throwing over the middle — a region Hurts attacks half as often as his peers — and Hurts was inconsistent.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 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 4 Apr. 2026.
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