balk 1 of 2

noun

Definition of balknext
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult the constant interruptions proved to be a balk to the flow of conversation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

balk

2 of 2

verb

ˈbȯk How to pronounce balk (audio)
as in to frustrate
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb balk differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of balk are baffle, foil, frustrate, and thwart. While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances.

officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

When is baffle a more appropriate choice than balk?

The words baffle and balk are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling.

baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

When can foil be used instead of balk?

The synonyms foil and balk are sometimes interchangeable, but foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort.

foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

When would frustrate be a good substitute for balk?

The words frustrate and balk can be used in similar contexts, but frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent.

frustrated attempts at government reform

When is it sensible to use thwart instead of balk?

While in some cases nearly identical to balk, thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing.

the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of balk
Noun
Sale was called for his third career balk by Merzel during the fifth inning of Saturday’s 5-4 loss. — Larry Fleisher, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026 Chris Sale and Walt Weiss were HEATED after Sale got called for a balk that allowed the Yankees to score the go-ahead run. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
Rave reviews from automotive journalists and the truck's ability to serve as a backup generator were not enough to sway consumers who balked at its high price. — Morgan Korn, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 Others were less sympathetic, balking at Crespi’s counter-offer and stating that Crespi’s employment must be discussed publicly because the DDA is a public agency beholden to the state’s Sunshine Law. — Tess Riski august 5, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for balk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balk
  1. obstacle
  2. frustrate
  3. hurdle
  4. thwart
  5. embarrassment
  6. baffle
  7. obstruction
  8. stop
Noun
  • When children are experiencing poor educational outcomes, at what point does opposition to an alternative become an obstacle to giving families another opportunity?
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Kids today face tremendous obstacles, but perhaps because of the pandemic, many, like Keira, are well-rounded and involved in work, school, extracurricular activities and devoted to their friends and family.
    — Nicole Russell, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of obstacle
Verb
  • During the joint practices against Tampa Bay, Bailey frustrated the Buccaneers’ offensive line with his lightning-fast speed off the edge, along with his penchant for consistently getting into the backfield.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Daron Acemoglu is frustrated by the artificial intelligence debate — and not because the MIT economist thinks the technology is dangerous.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrate
Noun
  • Russia's small and medium businesses already have been hit hard by tax increases, regulatory hurdles and, most recently, a fuel crisis from attacks on oil refineries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Harper Hutton, 12, of Aurora Flyers, placed second in the girls pentathlon high jump, fourth in the pentathlon 80-meter hurdles and pentathlon long jump and fifth in the girls pentathlon shot put.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurdle
Verb
  • Any chance for a post-trade-deadline revenge night was thwarted when the Mercury ruled Kelsey Plum out ahead of Tuesday’s affair with a lower left leg injury.
    — Kai Dizon, Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That dynamic has thwarted previous efforts over the years to combine the two news organizations.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of thwart
Noun
  • For the Indian government, the scandal was seen by some a political embarrassment, triggering protests by the opposition.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Amy Edmondson’s work on psychological safety has helped leaders understand why employees need to be able to raise concerns, admit mistakes, and ask questions without fear of punishment or embarrassment.
    — Brian Eason, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassment
Verb
  • The scene never fails to baffle the senses as the path rises up about a thousand feet from the valley floor.
    — Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • She is baffled by the way her friends Moe and Fumina rail against their parents, especially when Yuko is always holding back at home, forever walking on eggshells.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of baffle
Noun
  • Mitchell served 19 months of a two-and-a-half-year sentence for conspiracy and obstruction of justice in the Watergate scandal.
    — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • More critically, the obstruction blocks the flow of water and nutrients.
    — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of obstruction
Verb
  • The aid workers who once regularly visited her village to help pregnant women had stopped coming, after foreign aid cuts by the United States shuttered a program aimed at saving mothers’ and babies’ lives.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The exposure obviously scares him, but not enough to stop him from filming his next scene, where he’s been tasked with breaking in newcomer Cami Soul.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stop

Phrases Containing balk

Browse Nearby Words

bales
balk
balkanized
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Cite this Entry

“Balk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balk. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on balk

Nglish: Translation of balk for Spanish Speakers

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