as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
a balky toddler who only seemed to know the word "no" when told to do something
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of balky
The original May 6 launch was scuttled hours before takeoff due to a balky rocket valve.
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Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
Eventually, all the balky presses got going, and the Chicago Tribune completed its final Freedom Center run at 12:48 a.m. on Sunday.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2024
Stoney didn’t like how the Wave reacted to the goal, echoing her team’s balky response in Seattle.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2024
The culprit in his defining stretch on the front nine was a balky driver.
—Bob Spear, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for balky 
Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
Eventually, all the balky presses got going, and the Chicago Tribune completed its final Freedom Center run at 12:48 a.m. on Sunday.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2024
Stoney didn’t like how the Wave reacted to the goal, echoing her team’s balky response in Seattle.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2024
The culprit in his defining stretch on the front nine was a balky driver.
—Bob Spear, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for balky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balky
Adjective
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Illiberal leaders select their cabinet members in the same way that emperors used to choose the governors of rebellious provinces: What matters most is the appointee’s loyalty and capacity to resist being suborned or co-opted by others.Ivan Krastev, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
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The news is a huge deal because rebellious Prince Fiyero is the ultimate catch for the students and Galinda.Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Our Most Popular Stories of 2024 The artifacts of ancient technologies, the allure of rebel science, and many, many ghosts.JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025
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The world has become a series of separate totalitarian quarantine zones and independent settlements, with a thriving black market and a rebel militia known as the Fireflies making life complicated for the survivors.Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Weakened, isolated but defiant: Hamas faces a crossroads with the cease-fire.Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
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Yoon has remained defiant in the face of the investigations and an impeachment trial underway by one of the country’s highest courts.Gawon Bae, CNN, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The stubborn machine has won, and politicians are, for the most part, just fodder, which means that every politician who has to stand in front of a camera after a tragedy turns into another battle site in an endless culture war.Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
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Coaches will tell you of a character who could be grumpy or stubborn, but also of someone who needed faith shown in him.The Athletic UK Staff, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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According to Cartwright, both recalcitrant and cooperative countries have seen reductions in border encounters, regardless of deportation flights.Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
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These are often referred to as recalcitrant countries.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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After the March 19 incident, Huger, 61, was charged with a DUI and DWI, negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner endangering property, life, and person, as well as recklessly driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons and property.Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
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The boy’s parents also never made an official claim of willful misconduct or said the vaccine harmed their son, the justices noted.Katie Smith, Austin American-Statesman, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In those days, even small neighborhood theaters employed uniformed ushers to guide latecomers to their seats with a flashlight, patrol the aisles, and handle obstreperous customers.Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024
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Making clear that any future conflict would end with the reunification of the entire peninsula under the South’s authority should increase the North’s restraint, as well as reinforce China’s efforts to rein in its obstreperous ally.Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2013
Adjective
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The wayward cats would have to be left behind. Before getting in the car, Heidi had flung open the front door, hoping the lost cats would find their way out.Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
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Then, as Blue Origin got deeper into the countdown, a wayward boat strayed into the keep-out zone around the launch site.Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near balky
Cite this Entry
“Balky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balky. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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