as in jams
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
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Recent Examples of bottlenecks
Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2026
The expansion followed numerous complaints from American shippers in the wake of global supply chain bottlenecks throughout 2021 and 2022, who had alleged that container shipping companies were bypassing them for service and charging them excessive late fees.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 4 June 2026
Intel is partnering with electronics manufacturer firm Foxconn to address critical data center scaling bottlenecks, The Wall Street Journal reported.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 4 June 2026
With sodium-ion production managing the entry-level automotive sector, CATL is reallocating long-term engineering resources to address the physical bottlenecks of lithium-air technology, aiming at heavy-duty transport and the stabilization of solar and wind electrical grids.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026
The culprits were pandemic-era supply chain bottlenecks, high demand fueled by massive fiscal stimulus, and then the Russia-Ukraine war spiking energy prices.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
Now analysts are adjusting their forecasts based on the memory-heavy requirements of the agentic phase of artificial intelligence, and the approaches being taken by hardware makers dealing with component supply bottlenecks.
—Tobias Burns, CNBC, 1 June 2026
That creates dependency, bottlenecks, and burnout disguised as excellence.
—Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
Noun
Emergency physicians do not control inpatient staffing, discharge bottlenecks, rehabilitation placement delays, or bed availability, yet emergency departments absorb the consequences when hospitals operate beyond capacity.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2026
The expansion followed numerous complaints from American shippers in the wake of global supply chain bottlenecks throughout 2021 and 2022, who had alleged that container shipping companies were bypassing them for service and charging them excessive late fees.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 4 June 2026
Intel is partnering with electronics manufacturer firm Foxconn to address critical data center scaling bottlenecks, The Wall Street Journal reported.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 4 June 2026
With sodium-ion production managing the entry-level automotive sector, CATL is reallocating long-term engineering resources to address the physical bottlenecks of lithium-air technology, aiming at heavy-duty transport and the stabilization of solar and wind electrical grids.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026
The culprits were pandemic-era supply chain bottlenecks, high demand fueled by massive fiscal stimulus, and then the Russia-Ukraine war spiking energy prices.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
Now analysts are adjusting their forecasts based on the memory-heavy requirements of the agentic phase of artificial intelligence, and the approaches being taken by hardware makers dealing with component supply bottlenecks.
—Tobias Burns, CNBC, 1 June 2026
That creates dependency, bottlenecks, and burnout disguised as excellence.
—Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottlenecks
Noun
-
The Crusaders, who claimed a SoCal-record third regional title, racked up 14 hits but Payne worked out of several jams.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
7 June 2026
-
Barton recommends using them in recipes like jams, jellies, preserves, and smoothies where their softer texture won't be an issue.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
In the coming-of-age dramedy produced by Adam Sandler, his daughter Sunny Sandler stars as a teenager who snags the lead in her high school musical and is ready for the spotlight.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
Jewelry Minor snags from rings, watches, bracelets, and necklaces can present big problems for delicate fabrics.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Anything Too Tall or Too Small Avoid placing anything on a coffee table that blocks the view of the surrounding furniture.—
Lauren Jones,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
-
In addition to Virunga National Park, Okapi Wildlife Reserve blocks the west and the north from the spread of the disease toward the big city of Kisangani, and downstream of the Congo River all the way to [the capital of] Kinshasa.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Drivers should brace for traffic snarls this summer when South Elgin’s State Street bridge over the Fox River is reduced to one lane for road resurfacing work.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
Travel industry leaders and major airlines warn the proposal would devastate tourism, choke international cargo and create massive operational snarls.—
Josh Funk,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Current dependence on rare earth elements or precious metals often hinders the widespread adoption of electrolysis systems.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
22 May 2026
-
Making every decision for your teenager hinders their ability to build independence.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
This scale quickly clogs ordinary solar stills, much like calcium buildup ruins your bathroom showerhead.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
27 May 2026
-
Bednar’s white board during the playoffs never seems to have an answer for a team that takes away the rush, clogs the neutral zone and clamps down on the tempo.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Remove dead or damaged branches, and cut back any woody stems below the damage to a set of healthy leaves.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
-
In these spaces, ticks often wait on the tips of grass blades, plant stems, and tree branches with their front legs ready to grasp onto any host that happens to brush by or walk under overhanging foliage.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2026
Verb
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The states argued that the policy impedes their ability to hire primary and secondary school educators and to staff public colleges and universities, will stymie academic research and will lead to a decline in medical workers.—
Michael Casey,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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This ruling sets a troubling precedent that undermines protections afforded to interstate commerce and impedes site remediation, as well as the safe and effective long-term management of these materials for customers in Michigan and throughout the country.—
Heath Kalb,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bottlenecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottlenecks. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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