as in frustrated
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
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Recent Examples of balked
Funds left on the table The price tag for the new pipe and pump system was another issue locals and council members balked at, but the plan already accounted for most of the funding.
—
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
If Democrats have balked at MAHA’s rejection of vaccines, battling glyphosate has a chance of locking in the movement’s wider base of support.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
As players started returning home for the debut of Major League Soccer, some names balked at the opportunity to play with the Galaxy.
—Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Many in the real estate industry initially balked at Compass’s marketing strategy.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
Gene therapies can cost millions of dollars, and European countries have balked at the price tags in the past.
—Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
But the Damascene realization regarding the precariousness of American manufacturing that followed spurred a flurry of activity in Washington—as well as among nations that balked at an authoritarian superpower effectively having a permanent kill switch over their industrial output.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 21 Apr. 2026
While investors have balked at Treasuries recently, demand has surged for debt issued by sovereign, supranational and agencies (SSA) like the World Bank and the European Investment Bank.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026
White Sox pitcher Jordan Leasure balked while Salvador Perez was batting.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
If Democrats have balked at MAHA’s rejection of vaccines, battling glyphosate has a chance of locking in the movement’s wider base of support.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
As players started returning home for the debut of Major League Soccer, some names balked at the opportunity to play with the Galaxy.
—Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Many in the real estate industry initially balked at Compass’s marketing strategy.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
Gene therapies can cost millions of dollars, and European countries have balked at the price tags in the past.
—Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
But the Damascene realization regarding the precariousness of American manufacturing that followed spurred a flurry of activity in Washington—as well as among nations that balked at an authoritarian superpower effectively having a permanent kill switch over their industrial output.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 21 Apr. 2026
While investors have balked at Treasuries recently, demand has surged for debt issued by sovereign, supranational and agencies (SSA) like the World Bank and the European Investment Bank.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026
White Sox pitcher Jordan Leasure balked while Salvador Perez was batting.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balked
Verb
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But Brown has seemed to often be frustrated by his role in the team’s offense, which continued last fall as his production dipped and the offense as a whole sputtered.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The user seemingly was frustrated by Paramount‘s decision not to release the film in theaters and opting for a streaming release.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His gift is an uncanny ability to solve crimes that leave the LAPD baffled, armed only with the savvy and dry humor reminiscent of the gumshoe detectives of the noir genre.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
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During our overnight coverage on CNN, Jim Sciutto pointed out that people watching in other countries are baffled by this American attribute.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There’s an iPad for everyone, but the platform as a whole has felt stuck for a long time, with fast and capable hardware hampered by software that doesn’t take full advantage of it.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
-
He’s since lost quickness and, because of his persistent injuries – he’s been hampered by hamstring issues over the last year and was questionable for Game 3 with calf tightness – never seems to have his full burst on the floor.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Earlier, in 1983, a plot by the IRA to bomb a Duran Duran concert at the Dominion Theatre with the intention of targeting then Prince Charles and Princess Diana was thwarted.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
30 Apr. 2026
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ plans to upend childhood vaccination requirements continues to be thwarted by his fellow Republicans.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Balked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balked. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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