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
Garrett Downs, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
That speed is critical for AI systems, which must move enormous amounts of data without bottlenecks.
—Ian King, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
Supply bottlenecks have been exacerbated by recent refinery closures, including the Phillips 66 refinery in Wilmington in October and the idling and planned closure of the Valero refinery in Benicia, which reduced refining capacity in the state by close to 20%.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Collaboration helps ensure suppliers scale alongside manufacturers, rather than react after bottlenecks appear.
—Travis Edmonds, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
The department launched the HyCAT initiative in 2022 to address persistent testing bottlenecks.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Mar. 2026
Put simply, proximity to critical trade bottlenecks strongly predicts Chinese investments.
—Dylan Spencer, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
While Mangrove is initially targeting lithium, their electrochemical architecture is not inherently lithium-specific, and could be adapted to other battery materials that face similar purification bottlenecks.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2026
If this is an adoption strategy, then cost and complexity become the bottlenecks.
—Tanvi Ratna, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
But gas prices and oil have spiked since the war began in Iran, with vessel bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz causing the surge.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
That speed is critical for AI systems, which must move enormous amounts of data without bottlenecks.
—Ian King, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
Supply bottlenecks have been exacerbated by recent refinery closures, including the Phillips 66 refinery in Wilmington in October and the idling and planned closure of the Valero refinery in Benicia, which reduced refining capacity in the state by close to 20%.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Collaboration helps ensure suppliers scale alongside manufacturers, rather than react after bottlenecks appear.
—Travis Edmonds, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
The department launched the HyCAT initiative in 2022 to address persistent testing bottlenecks.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Mar. 2026
Put simply, proximity to critical trade bottlenecks strongly predicts Chinese investments.
—Dylan Spencer, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
While Mangrove is initially targeting lithium, their electrochemical architecture is not inherently lithium-specific, and could be adapted to other battery materials that face similar purification bottlenecks.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2026
If this is an adoption strategy, then cost and complexity become the bottlenecks.
—Tanvi Ratna, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottlenecks
Noun
-
The brand, which sells jams and other products, will continue without Netflix.—
Ellie Austin,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Fill them with your favorite fresh spring jams or preserves, like strawberry or rhubarb.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Irvine office campus snags $32 million The office campus Centerstone Plaza sold in mid-January for $32 million.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The highest debut on the latest frame belongs to Madison Beer, the American singer-songwriter whose third album Locket (LOUD/Sony) snags a podium entry, just behind Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving (Universal), down 1-2.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit says the administration's decision to place the firm on what is effectively a blacklist that blocks Pentagon suppliers from using Claude is an attempt to punish the company over its AI guardrails.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As their bold production takes shape, a rival white theatre mounts its own Richard III just blocks away, threatening to undermine, overshadow, and outmaneuver them.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But the scope of the IEEPA tariffs was so massive (to date, CBP and administration officials estimate IEEPA revenue rings in at up to $175 billion) that the process is bound to hit some snarls.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Advertisement The event was widely criticized for what many said was its chaotic organization, including widespread road closures for VIP motorcades that caused traffic snarls across the city.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Afterward, Denver7 heard from Douglas County residents, including a Parker woman who feels the move hinders productive conversations around local issues and is merely a way for the commissioners to dodge criticism and accountability.—
thedenverchannel.com,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 2023, which hinders his ability to communicate.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Vegetation clogs its steep banks.—
David Bauerlein,
Florida Times-Union,
6 Feb. 2026
-
That clogs the judicial system, wastes limited resources, and delays justice for those with legitimate grievances.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The only maintenance necessary is pruning woody stems to encourage the plant to produce new growth.—
Jamie McIntosh,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Leave some leaves and stems in garden beds or redistribute them to create habitats and natural mulch.—
Anne Readel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The weir prohibits the flow of saltwater into the lagoon and impedes the draining of sediment from the lagoon into the ocean.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
-
This gross oversight, which is largely due to a lack of financial backing, impedes reproductive health for everyone.—
Kenneth H. Mayer,
STAT,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bottlenecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottlenecks. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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