balks (at)

verb

present tense third-person singular of balk (at)
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)
  1. refuses
  2. rejects
  3. declines
Verb
  • Someone refuses to back you up as the moon and Mercury clash.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
  • It's built by what leadership consistently rewards, tolerates and refuses to compromise on.
    — Brandon Shannon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of refuses
Verb
  • The agent proposes; the human reviews, edits, approves, or rejects; and the system brings reasoning and evidence with the recommendation.
    — William Jones, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Hamas also said that laying down its heavy weapons, which would come later in the process, was contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state, something Israel’s current government adamantly rejects.
    — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of rejects
Verb
  • When the foliage declines the bulbs, actually tubers, rest before restarting growth the following spring.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Supreme Court declines to hear appeal After the injunction was granted earlier this month, Schwab immediately asked the Kansas Supreme Court to act on the matter.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
Definition of declines
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

balks
balks (at)
balky
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Balks (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balks%20%28at%29. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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