as in jam
a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement
a bottleneck inevitably forms at the start of a construction zone when the highway narrows from three to two lanes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in linear
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in to dam
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bottleneck
Stephen D. Turner, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
Sharp increases in oil, gas, and fertilizer prices, together with transport bottlenecks, will inevitably lead to rising food prices and food insecurity.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Given their constraints, the most plausible near-term roles are simple, repetitive, or hazardous tasks in structured spaces, moving totes, staging parts, and monitoring routine operations, where their slower pace or limited dexterity won’t bottleneck the entire line.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottleneck
Noun
Hands-on work in the lab has traditionally been a bottleneck to translating designs into results.
—Stephen D. Turner, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
Sharp increases in oil, gas, and fertilizer prices, together with transport bottlenecks, will inevitably lead to rising food prices and food insecurity.
—CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
The real-world difference is how snappy everything feels when your storage doesn’t bottleneck your system.
—Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Given their constraints, the most plausible near-term roles are simple, repetitive, or hazardous tasks in structured spaces, moving totes, staging parts, and monitoring routine operations, where their slower pace or limited dexterity won’t bottleneck the entire line.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottleneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottleneck
Noun
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Each cookie also has a delightful dollop of lemon jam in the center.—
Staff Author,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Apr. 2026
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This set comes with six 16-ounce jars perfect for storing homemade sauces, salsa, jam, and more.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
By way of comparison, the NFL in 2024-25 reached a linear-TV audience with a median HH income of $87,800, with Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football beating all other league partners at $101,800.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
17 Apr. 2026
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Ulloa bounces between a linear, historical telling of the political, economic and racial shifts in the area and the personal accounts of five families from the region, including her own.—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Then, about 20,000 years ago the Laurentide continental glacier moved into the area, pushing rocks, soil, and other debris, eventually damming Pine Creek and forming an expansive lake.—
Anthony Fredericks,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
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Crews will dam the water directly under the Pump House to complete foundation work, and the area around the structure will be closed off.—
Megan Rodriguez,
San Antonio Express-News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The trick is said to relieve nasal congestion.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
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Dust mites, dead skin cells, sweat buildup and allergens accumulate over months, affecting your sleep quality and potentially triggering sneezing and congestion.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Leo's Camair charter landed at the Bamenda airport, where jubilant Cameroonians clogged the roads, blowing horns and dancing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Leo traveled to the western Cameroon city of Bamenda, where jubilant crowds clogged the roads, blowing horns and dancing.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Moving forward, lawmakers should identify aspects of recent reforms that are hindering their intended purpose of increasing housing, while continuing to advance land-use liberalization across the state.—
Eliza Terziev,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
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Since October of last year, the agency has lost more than 1,500 agents, and these unfilled positions have severely hindered operational capacity at a critical moment.—
La'Tasha Givens,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Such deadlines lend themselves to compressed frenzies of activity.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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CEOs are expected to create significant value in compressed timeframes, meet aggressive growth targets, and navigate a minefield of internal and external pressures.—
Samantha Allison,
Harvard Business Review,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Some 20 Republicans joined most Democrats in blocking its advance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Human Rights Watch said authorities have taken sweeping steps to curb religious practice, including tearing down churches and crosses, blocking gatherings at unregistered churches and seizing religious materials not approved by the state.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bottleneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottleneck. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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