balking 1 of 3

balking

2 of 3

noun

balking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of balk

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for balking
Adjective
  • Tied 1-1 midway through the second period against a Finland team frustrating and stifling the Americans, head coach Mike Sullivan swapped Kyle Connor with Brady Tkachuk on a line with Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Eichel.
    Pierre LeBrun, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Unfortunately, the setup process is frustrating compared with the competition, as are the site-building tools.
    Robert Anderson, PCMAG, 14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Starting five is settling in One of the most baffling aspects of the Celtics’ six-week swoon was how poorly their preferred starting lineup was performing.
    Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Most baffling to many were the firings of hundreds whose jobs were not funded by taxpayers.
    Christina Jewett, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • After Trump was re-elected, Customs and Border Protection said the number of crossings fell another 35% from December to January.
    Gabe Gutierrez, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The logistics of crossing are harder for him, since he was detained and deported in New York years ago.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Citing a need to send a strong message of deterrence to other police officers, and noting the racial aspects of a case involving a White officer and Black victim, Houston sentenced LaRoche to 15 months in federal prison, nearly double what prosecutors recommended.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
  • That deterrence failed spectacularly on October 7, 2023.
    Jane Harman, TIME, 9 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The case stemmed from a Groveland police officer in September 2020 stopping a Lyft car for speeding and tag lights that weren’t working.
    Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2025
  • What’s stopping organizations from reaping the benefits of AI right now?
    Jesse Todd, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • But as Dougherty Valley continued to miss shots, the frustration started to show.
    Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2025
  • The meeting created a lot of anxiety and frustration in the Ukrainian government, which is concerned about a U.S.-Russian deal behind Kyiv's back.
    Barak Ravid, Axios, 16 Feb. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Balking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balking. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

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