BOTTLENECKS Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

bottlenecks 1 of 2

noun

plural of bottleneck

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bottlenecks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bottleneck

as in snags

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of bottlenecks

Noun

Preventing boarding and deplaning bottlenecks protects flight turnaround times and slot compliance. — Justin Newell, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026 The strategy aims to expand the fleet while easing submarine production bottlenecks. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026 Energy bottlenecks and central bank policy will likely drive both bonds and stocks in the near term, with rate relief supporting both but yield increases weighing more on equities. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026 On Sunrise Highway, also known as New York State Route 27, in Suffolk County, where three lanes merge into two in Patchogue, the bottlenecks are year-round. — Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 Persistent bottlenecks include the complexity and daunting list of materials and the recruitment of skilled labor to build them. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026 Currently, global apparel supply chains face severe bottlenecks due to shifting Western trade policies and maritime disruptions. — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026 The combination is creating supply-chain bottlenecks that industry and government are trying to address. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026 Shortening the distance between them, Apple says, alleviates data bottlenecks among the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, enabling better sustained multitasking performance and unlocking new capabilities for running local AI models. — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottlenecks

Noun

Most hoppers require you to place your bills as neat and evenly as possible to avoid jams and other issues, but better hoppers give you some wiggle room.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
If the party gets a little too wild, and someone knocks the jams into the drink, don't worry.

— Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of jams

Verb

In the book, when Hig tries to land there, a trip wire almost snags the Cessna and pulls them down to their deaths in a crash.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
Luckily, a wake-up chat with Marshall puts Ted back on track, and the night isn’t a total wash — Ted snags a yellow umbrella from the club and just misses the Mother.

— Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of snags

Verb

Existing law also blocks most states from systematically purging voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election, said David Becker, an election law expert who leads the Center for Election Innovation and Research.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
If your browser blocks a file or tells you a site looks dangerous, investigate before continuing.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of blocks

Verb

Being polished hinders the chance for an honest dialogue as the moon agitates Chiron.

— USA TODAY, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
But Meta raised concerns about some of the bills, saying the law to restrict addictive feeds hinders the company's ability to bring enjoyable content to users on its platforms.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of hinders

Verb

Diagnosed at age 3 with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that clogs the lungs with sticky mucus, Smith grew up with doctors expecting a cure to arrive in time to save her.

— Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
The fine powder clogs their digestive systems and prevents them from eating plants.

— Farima Ferguson, The Spruce, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of clogs

Verb

After cutting open both stems and swapping the batteries between earbuds, iFixit noticed the buds could no longer be charged.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
The reason Dancing With the Stars doesn’t air live for its West Coast audience stems back to local news and the coveted primetime programming slots.

— McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of stems

Verb

The sheriff said vehicles parked in a way that impedes traffic will be towed at the owner's expense.

— Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
Typically, PAs are putting in 60-hour workweeks, and their duties can include everything from running errands to cleaning up messes to managing the general public when filming takes place in a location and impedes foot or car traffic.

— Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of impedes

Browse Nearby Words

bottlenecking

bottlenecks

bottles

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Bottlenecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottlenecks. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bottlenecks

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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