balking 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of balkingnext
as in frustrating

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

balking

2 of 3

noun

as in thwarting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

balking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of balk
as in hampering
to prevent from achieving a goal a young man with big dreams who refused to be balked by the many challenges he faced in making them a reality

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for balking
  1. frustrating
  2. baffling
  3. crossing
  4. deterrence
  5. stopping
  6. frustration
Adjective
  • Prediction: Bengals 37, Cowboys 30 Matt Levine: The Bengals have been one of the more frustrating teams this season.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
  • The Eagles know their offense can’t devolve into a frustrating mess for a second straight season.
    Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of frustrating
Adjective
  • Every office is a microcosm of personalities, making the quest for the perfect gifts for coworkers exciting and baffling.
    Boutayna Chokrane, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Marcus Maye, who was claimed off waivers from the Miami Dolphins last week, grabbed an interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter, helping erase a baffling fake punt that went awry from the Chargers’ 36-yard line.
    Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
Definition of baffling
Noun
  • Photo : Van de Graaf ‘Atlantic,’ 227 Feet, 2010 Van de Graaf This Atlantic was inspired by the much older 212-foot Atlantic delivered by Townsend & Downey in 1903, which set the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing in 1905.
    Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 16 Dec. 2024
  • The state has built 60 wildlife crossings or bridges that have been modified for use by panthers on Florida’s roads.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 14 Dec. 2024
Definition of crossing
Noun
  • The border czar position has not in the past had prosecutorial powers, but ICE operations have often relied on creating a sense of fear in immigrant communities as a means of deterrence.
    Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Last week, the U.S. Space Force also set up its first unit in Japan, seeking to enhance the alliance's defense and deterrence.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of deterrence
Verb
  • Nothing is stopping you from trying out things.
    Adam Fayed, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Beyoncé and Jay-Z made a surprise appearance at the premiere to support their 12-year-old, stopping for rare photos on the red carpet.
    Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of stopping
Noun
  • While frustration has mounted in recent years with Boston’s lack of big moves, reduced payroll and having missed the postseason in five of the last six seasons, the wheels are turning toward contention.
    Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 12 Dec. 2024
  • As Venus and Mars clash, avoid taking frustration out on colleagues.
    USA TODAY, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Definition of frustration
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near balking

balkiness

balking

balking (at)

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Balking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balking. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on balking

Nglish: Translation of balking for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of balking for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Point of View: It's Personal

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
naughty or nice
Are you naughty or nice? Quiz He's making a quiz, and checking it twice...