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
Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, crude prices remain elevated amid lingering supply concerns tied to Middle East supply bottlenecks.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 10 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
Data readiness, security, integrations, workflow redesign, and building human skills remain stubborn bottlenecks for true AI implementation.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
Squeezing through ‘pinch points’ Our model showed that the squirrel’s best habitat persists in a network of pinch points, bottlenecks where development and infrastructure funnel movement into a limited set of pathways.
—Eve Bohnett, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Those bottlenecks appeared to be clearing this week as agents began receiving backpay after Trump signed an executive order.
—Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Lu sees a growing cross-media trend, in which film IP becomes games and vice versa, creating both opportunity and bottlenecks, with the cost of producing high-detail digital characters remaining a significant barrier that AI will help address.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
Building officials in Broward County deserve significant credit for changing outdated processes that created unnecessary bottlenecks.
—Ian Cohen, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
Antwerp and Rotterdam have had to contend with more prevalent congestion woes in recent years amid increasing container volumes, ongoing labor unrest, as well as infrastructure strain responsible for inland transportation delays and bottlenecks.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, crude prices remain elevated amid lingering supply concerns tied to Middle East supply bottlenecks.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 10 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
Data readiness, security, integrations, workflow redesign, and building human skills remain stubborn bottlenecks for true AI implementation.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
Squeezing through ‘pinch points’ Our model showed that the squirrel’s best habitat persists in a network of pinch points, bottlenecks where development and infrastructure funnel movement into a limited set of pathways.
—Eve Bohnett, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Those bottlenecks appeared to be clearing this week as agents began receiving backpay after Trump signed an executive order.
—Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Lu sees a growing cross-media trend, in which film IP becomes games and vice versa, creating both opportunity and bottlenecks, with the cost of producing high-detail digital characters remaining a significant barrier that AI will help address.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
Building officials in Broward County deserve significant credit for changing outdated processes that created unnecessary bottlenecks.
—Ian Cohen, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottlenecks
Noun
-
The show ebbed and flowed with precision, with the uptempo jams countered by Mars’ considerable arsenal of ballads.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Eighth-grade pitcher Molly Buffington worked out of several jams, including when King Philip had the game-winning run on base in the seventh and eighth.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One cat steals the spotlight and another snags it right back.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Shiok, a Singaporean restaurant that operated for 25 years in Menlo Park before facing eviction last year, will be returning to the city just blocks away from its former home.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The frames retail outside China for $599; that’s less than the Meta Ray-Ban Display, which starts at $799 but is not officially sold in China, where a firewall blocks access to Facebook.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Visiting is free, and public transit is recommended due to the traffic snarls along the National Mall (especially on the weekend).—
Adele Chapin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Apr. 2026
-
As Ross, Martin’s friend and confidante, Kevin Singer has the insinuating righteousness of a slinky cat, his line readings all mews and snarls.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In San Francisco, the city is modernizing its systems to ensure that, in the event of a disaster, nothing hinders the ability to communicate, coordinate, and respond.—
Max Darrow,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Exercise also reduces chronic inflammation in the brain, which hinders its ability to repair itself, Oye-Somefun said.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the conservancy’s Rosemont Preserve, volunteers have essentially removed all invasive castor bean, arundo (which clogs streams) and tree tobacco, which crowd out native plants and harm the landscape.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Although convenient, dryer sheets can leave a residue that clogs the lint trap and contributes to buildup.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The roots of the plant consist of a cluster of rhizomes (swollen underground stems with feeder roots attached).—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Handle healthy plant stems and roots carefully to minimize damage and stress.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Let go of whatever impedes your growth.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Bottlenecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottlenecks. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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