BALKS (AT) Synonyms: 87 Similar and Opposite Words

balks (at)

verb

present tense third-person singular of balk (at)

as in refuses

to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to she balked at lending him any more money

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for balks (at)

Verb

Why this 78-year-old professor refuses to move Marvin's frustration goes beyond having robots share the sidewalk.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
The wart that refuses to go away is whatever is up with Vicki and Tamra.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of refuses

Verb

However, a large percentage of the Brazilian electorate also consistently rejects the prospect of voting for another Bolsonaro for president.

— David Unsworth, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Human Rights Watch said those expulsions amounted to war crimes, a charge that Israel rejects.

— Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of rejects

Verb

The Salt Lake County clerk requests assistance to secure the polls, but the sheriff, unsure about jurisdiction, declines.

— Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
Steep declines across the tech space, led by Meta and the chip sector, saw Nasdaq log its worst day since June.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of declines

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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balks

balks (at)

balky

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“Balks (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balks%20%28at%29. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of balks (at)

verb

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