as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the constant interruptions proved to be a balk to the flow of conversation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in frustrates
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 balks
Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
But while Wall Street balks at the bountiful spending, tech companies are racing to build more infrastructure to keep up with customer demand for AI services.
—Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026
Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead balks at the comparison.
—Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 5 Feb. 2026
Advertisement Glinda balks at the opportunity to straddle the broom with Elphaba and combine their powers to reach unlimited heights.
—Time, 21 Nov. 2025
If your agent balks, find another one who is more amenable to cutting their levy — at least a little.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2025
And Scherzinger’s outspoken faith makes her something of an outlier in an industry that balks at too much Jesus talk, especially when that talk becomes entwined with Trump messaging.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
If so, but your bank account balks at such a journey, just binge all six episodes of Prime’s latest mood quencher.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
For example, the person who balks at personal outreach or opts out of LinkedIn despite knowing that’s where recruiters look.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
Glushon balks at many of Raman’s positions, including her opposition to a law that allows the city to ban homeless people from the streets near schools.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
But while Wall Street balks at the bountiful spending, tech companies are racing to build more infrastructure to keep up with customer demand for AI services.
—Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026
Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead balks at the comparison.
—Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 5 Feb. 2026
Advertisement Glinda balks at the opportunity to straddle the broom with Elphaba and combine their powers to reach unlimited heights.
—Time, 21 Nov. 2025
If your agent balks, find another one who is more amenable to cutting their levy — at least a little.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2025
And Scherzinger’s outspoken faith makes her something of an outlier in an industry that balks at too much Jesus talk, especially when that talk becomes entwined with Trump messaging.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
If so, but your bank account balks at such a journey, just binge all six episodes of Prime’s latest mood quencher.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
For example, the person who balks at personal outreach or opts out of LinkedIn despite knowing that’s where recruiters look.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balks
Noun
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The researchers created the virtual animals and released them into a synthetic world, giving them tasks on how to navigate, avoid obstacles and find food.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
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The secluded area in Arizona where Guthrie lives and appears to have been kidnapped in the early morning hours of February 1 continues to present obstacles, as does the intense media scrutiny.—
Elizabeth Hartfield,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Usually the offseason frustrates me.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Made almost entirely from screen recordings and captures, Their Eyes frustrates the viewer’s desire to see beyond the digital interface.—
Farren Fei Yuan,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But there is optimism in the community that both these hurdles can be cleared.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2026
-
There are a host of legal hurdles Trump will have to overcome to keep this one alive.—
Jack Greiner,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Unless her future self thwarts the plan, Steiner will mail a copy of Empty Chair to her estranged relative in hopes of reconciliation.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
29 Jan. 2026
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But critics say too much state overreach ignores the distinct needs of different communities and thwarts local innovation.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Crews advanced hose lines to the second floor and had difficulty gaining access because of obstructions behind the bedroom door, according to the release.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Check slopes for bare spots, holes and obstructions, like rocks, fences or poles.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Patagonia’s proprietary synthetic fill imitates down’s structure by spinning air-trapping microfilaments around a central fiber and requires fewer stabilizing seams and baffles than down.—
Kelly Bastone,
Outside,
10 Feb. 2026
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That said, the Recording Academy never goes too long without making a choice that baffles everybody, as when Jon Batiste beat Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift in 2022.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But anomaly detection may have prevented embarrassments like the one at OPERA.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
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All the teams ran largely reliably and there were no major embarrassments playing out in front of the public and the media.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Balks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balks. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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