as in refuses
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
she balked at lending him any more money
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balks (at)
Verb
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Russia demands Ukraine cede eastern territory and renounce NATO membership; Kyiv refuses to surrender land without security guarantees.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026 -
The New York mayor acknowledges that tax hikes are painful but refuses to meaningfully cut spending.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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My child automatically rejects paying for parking, especially when there are other options.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Hunter-Torricke rejects these criticisms.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Their research and resulting report, for instance, found that over the past five recessions, the total GDP declines from dips in tourism averaged a 10% dip.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
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When the estrogen hormone declines during perimenopause, the body’s insulin sensitivity decreases, too, which affects overall metabolism.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Balks (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balks%20%28at%29. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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