balks

The word “balks” has 1 syllable: balks

It's pronounced as /bɔːks/


What is synonym and antonym for balks?

In the thesaurus, “balks” has 92 synonyms and 31 antonyms.

Here are synonyms and antonyms for balks along with examples of usage in sentences.


Synonyms for balks

  • adversities
  • arrests
  • averts
  • baffles
  • barriers
  • bars
  • beats
  • bits
  • blockades
  • blockages
  • blocks
  • brakes
  • brick walls
  • burdens
  • catches
  • chains
  • checkmates
  • checks
  • clogs
  • conquers
  • constraints
  • counteracts
  • cramps
  • crimps
  • cumbers
  • curbs
  • dangers
  • defeats
  • delays
  • deterrents
  • difficulties
  • disadvantages
  • discomfits
  • drags
  • drawbacks
  • embargoes
  • embarrassments
  • encumbers
  • encumbrances
  • fetters
  • foils
  • forestalls
  • frustrates
  • halts
  • hampers
  • handicaps
  • hardships
  • hazards
  • hinders
  • hindrances
  • hitches
  • hobbles
  • holdbacks
  • holds back
  • holdups
  • hurdles
  • impedes
  • impediments
  • inhibitions
  • inhibits
  • interferences
  • lets
  • loads
  • manacles
  • negates
  • neutralizes
  • nullifies
  • obstacles
  • obstructions
  • obstructs
  • obviates
  • offsets
  • overcomes
  • perils
  • precludes
  • prevents
  • reefs
  • reins
  • restraints
  • rubs
  • sets back
  • shackles
  • short-circuits
  • snags
  • stalls
  • stone walls
  • stoppages
  • stops
  • stumbling blocks
  • thwarts
  • ties up
  • trammels

Antonyms for balks

  • abets
  • advances
  • advantages
  • aids
  • assistances
  • assists
  • benefits
  • boosts
  • breaks
  • catalysts
  • cultivates
  • eases
  • edges
  • encourages
  • facilitates
  • forwards
  • fosters
  • furthers
  • goads
  • handmaidens
  • handmaids
  • help
  • impetuses
  • incentives
  • nurtures
  • promotes
  • smoothes
  • smooths
  • spurs
  • stimulants
  • stimuli

Meanings of balks

  • noun
    1. An uncultivated ridge formed in the open field system, caused by the action of ploughing.
    2. The wall of earth at the edge of an excavation.
    3. Beam, crossbeam; squared timber; a tie beam of a house, stretching from wall to wall, especially when laid so as to form a loft, "the balks".
    4. A hindrance or disappointment; a check.
    5. A sudden and obstinate stop; a failure.
    6. An omission.
    7. A deceptive motion; a feint.
    8. The area of the table lying behind the line from which the cue ball is initially shot, and from which a ball in hand must be played.
    9. The area of the table lying behind the baulk line.
    10. The rope by which fishing nets are fastened together.
  • verb
    1. To pass over or by.
    2. To omit, miss or overlook by chance.
    3. To miss intentionally; to avoid.
    4. To stop, check, block.
    5. To stop short and refuse to go on.
    6. To refuse suddenly.
    7. To disappoint; to frustrate.
    8. To engage in contradiction; to be in opposition.
    9. To leave or make balks in.
    10. To leave heaped up; to heap up in piles.
    11. To indicate to fishermen, by shouts or signals from shore, the direction taken by the shoals of herring.

Example Sentences

  • The horse hesitates and balks at the water jump during the show jumping competition.
  • Despite his determination, he balks at the thought of confronting his fears.
  • The company balks at the idea of increasing employee salaries due to budget constraints.
  • She balks at the prospect of moving to a new city, fearing the unfamiliarity.
  • The dog balks at crossing the busy street, pulling back on its leash with apprehension.

On this page you'll find 123 synonyms, antonyms, or another words to balks, such as: abets, advances, advantages, adversities, aids, arrests, assistances.

Make sure to choose synonyms and antonyms that are appropriate for the context of the sentence.

Related Words

baffles

  • abashes
  • addles
  • agitates
  • arrests
  • averts
  • balks
  • bamboozles
  • barricades
  • bars
  • beats
  • befogs
  • befuddles
  • beguiles
  • bemuses
  • bewilders
  • blocks
  • bothers
  • buffaloes
  • buffers
  • bumpers
  • chagrins
  • checkmates
  • checks
  • clogs
  • cocoons
  • confounds
  • confuses
  • conquers
  • cordons
  • counteracts
  • cozens
  • cushionings
  • cushions
  • deceives
  • defeats
  • deludes
  • discombobulates
  • discomfits
  • discomforts
  • discomposes
  • disconcerts
  • discountenances
  • dismays
  • disorients
  • disquiets
  • distresses
  • disturbs
  • dupes
  • embarrasses
  • encumbers
  • fazes
  • fenders
  • fetters
  • flummoxes
  • flusters
  • foils
  • fools
  • forestalls
  • foxes
  • frustrates
  • fuddles
  • gets
  • gravels
  • gulls
  • halts
  • hampers
  • handicaps
  • hinders
  • hoaxes
  • hobbles
  • holds back
  • hoodwinks
  • humbugs
  • impedes
  • inhibits
  • manacles
  • mazes
  • misguides
  • misleads
  • mortifies
  • muddies
  • muddles
  • mufflers
  • mystifies
  • negates
  • neutralizes
  • nonpluses
  • nonplusses
  • nullifies
  • obstructs
  • obviates
  • offsets
  • overcomes
  • paddings
  • pads
  • perplexes
  • perturbs
  • poses
  • precludes
  • prevents
  • puzzles
  • rattles
  • safeguards
  • sets back
  • shackles
  • shields
  • short-circuits
  • snows
  • stalls
  • sticks
  • stops
  • strings along
  • stumps
  • stuns
  • takes in
  • thwarts
  • ties up
  • trammels
  • tricks
  • unhinges
  • unsettles
  • upsets
  • vexes
  • weirds out

halts

  • Mexican standoffs
  • abates
  • abeyances
  • abolishes
  • aborts
  • annuls
  • arrestments
  • arrests
  • backs down
  • baffles
  • balances
  • balks
  • binds
  • bites the dust
  • blockades
  • blocks
  • blunders
  • bottlenecks
  • brakes
  • breaks
  • breaks down
  • breaks off
  • breaks up
  • brings up
  • calls
  • cans
  • catches
  • ceases
  • cessations
  • checks
  • chokes off
  • clamps down
  • clogs
  • closedowns
  • closes
  • closures
  • completes
  • concludes
  • conclusions
  • considers
  • corners
  • cutoffs
  • cuts off
  • cuts out
  • dallies
  • dams
  • dawdles
  • deactivates
  • dead ends
  • dead-ends
  • deadlocks
  • debates
  • delays
  • deliberates
  • demolishes
  • destroys
  • detains
  • determines
  • dies
  • difficulties
  • dilemmas
  • discontinuances
  • discontinuations
  • discontinues
  • dissolves
  • dithers
  • dodders
  • draws up
  • drops
  • elapses
  • endings
  • ends
  • equivocates
  • expirations
  • expires
  • falters
  • fetches up
  • finishes
  • fixes
  • flounders
  • gives over
  • goes
  • gridlocks
  • hangs back
  • has done with
  • haws
  • hedges
  • hems
  • hesitates
  • hinders
  • hitches
  • hobbles
  • holds
  • holds back
  • holds up
  • holes
  • impasses
  • impedes
  • interruptions
  • jams
  • kiboshes
  • kills
  • knocks off
  • lapses
  • layoffs
  • lays off
  • leaves off
  • lets up
  • letups
  • limps
  • lingers
  • logjams
  • lurches
  • mop-ups
  • morasses
  • moratoria
  • moratoriums
  • obstructs
  • offsets
  • oscillates
  • passes
  • pauses
  • phaseouts
  • pickles
  • pinches
  • plights
  • ponders
  • predicaments
  • problems
  • procrastinates
  • pulls up
  • pussyfoots
  • puts the kibosh on
  • quagmires
  • quandaries
  • quits
  • represses
  • ruins
  • scruples
  • scuttles
  • shambles
  • shilly-shallies
  • shuffles
  • shutdowns
  • shutoffs
  • shuts off
  • snags
  • snuffs
  • spots
  • squashes
  • squelches
  • staggers
  • stalemates
  • stalls
  • stamps
  • stanches
  • standoffs
  • standstills
  • staunches
  • stays
  • stems
  • stills
  • stoppages
  • stops
  • stumbles
  • stunts
  • suppresses
  • surceases
  • suspends
  • suspensions
  • sways
  • teeters
  • terminates
  • terminations
  • totters
  • turns back
  • vacillates
  • wabbles
  • waffles
  • waits
  • wavers
  • weighs
  • winds down
  • winds up
  • wobbles

hampers

  • arrests
  • baffles
  • bags
  • balks
  • barricades
  • basins
  • baskets
  • binds
  • bins
  • blockades
  • blocks
  • bottles
  • bowls
  • boxes
  • brakes
  • buckets
  • caddies
  • cans
  • carriers
  • cartons
  • cartridges
  • cases
  • caskets
  • chains
  • checks
  • chokes
  • clogs
  • confines
  • constrains
  • containers
  • coolers
  • cramps
  • crates
  • curbs
  • delays
  • derails
  • disrupts
  • embarrasses
  • encumbers
  • fetters
  • foils
  • frustrates
  • gives a hard time
  • halters
  • handbaskets
  • handcuffs
  • handicaps
  • hinders
  • hobbles
  • hog-ties
  • holders
  • holds back
  • holds up
  • impedes
  • inhibits
  • jars
  • jugs
  • kegs
  • kettles
  • kits
  • leashes
  • lockers
  • manacles
  • mires
  • muzzles
  • obstructs
  • packs
  • pails
  • pitchers
  • pockets
  • pots
  • receptacles
  • reins
  • represses
  • restrains
  • retains
  • retards
  • roadblocks
  • sabotages
  • sacks
  • shackles
  • short-circuits
  • smothers
  • stifles
  • strangles
  • stumps
  • stymies
  • suffocates
  • suppresses
  • tethers
  • thwarts
  • ties
  • ties up
  • trammels
  • trunks
  • tubs
  • vats
  • vessels
  • warmers

handcuffs

  • arrests
  • attaches
  • baffles
  • balks
  • band
  • barricades
  • bind
  • binds
  • bits
  • blockades
  • blocks
  • bond
  • bracelet
  • bracelets
  • braces
  • brakes
  • captivity
  • chain
  • chains
  • checks
  • chokes
  • clamps
  • clogs
  • collar
  • confinement
  • confines
  • constrains
  • constraint
  • cramps
  • cuffs
  • curb
  • curbs
  • delays
  • derails
  • disrupts
  • embarrasses
  • enchainment
  • enchains
  • encumbers
  • enfetters
  • enslavement
  • entanglement
  • entangles
  • fastener
  • fastens
  • fetter
  • fetters
  • foils
  • frustrates
  • gives a hard time
  • gyves
  • halters
  • hampers
  • handicaps
  • hinders
  • hindrance
  • hobble
  • hobbles
  • hog-ties
  • hold
  • hold-down
  • holding
  • holds back
  • holds up
  • immurement
  • impedes
  • imprisonment
  • incarceration
  • inhibits
  • iron rings
  • irons
  • joins
  • lashes
  • leashes
  • ligature
  • limits
  • links
  • manacles
  • mires
  • muzzles
  • net
  • obstructs
  • pinions
  • reins
  • represses
  • restrains
  • restraint
  • restriction
  • restricts
  • retains
  • retards
  • roadblocks
  • sabotages
  • secures
  • shackle
  • shackles
  • short-circuits
  • smothers
  • snaps
  • stifles
  • straightjacket
  • straitjacket
  • strangles
  • stumps
  • stymies
  • suffocates
  • suppresses
  • tangles
  • tethers
  • thwarts
  • tie
  • ties
  • ties up
  • trammel
  • trammels
  • trap
  • trusses
  • wristlets

handicaps

  • adversities
  • albatross
  • albatrosses
  • arrests
  • baffles
  • balks
  • barricades
  • barriers
  • bars
  • binds
  • bits
  • blockades
  • blockages
  • blocks
  • brakes
  • brick walls
  • burdens
  • catches
  • chains
  • checks
  • chokes
  • clogs
  • confines
  • constrains
  • constraints
  • cramps
  • crimps
  • cumbers
  • curbs
  • dangers
  • debits
  • delays
  • derails
  • deterrents
  • difficulties
  • disabilities
  • disadvantages
  • disbenefits
  • disrupts
  • downsides
  • drags
  • drawbacks
  • embargoes
  • embarrasses
  • embarrassments
  • encumbers
  • encumbrances
  • failings
  • fetters
  • foils
  • frustrates
  • gives a hard time
  • halters
  • hampers
  • handcuffs
  • hardships
  • hazards
  • hinders
  • hindrances
  • hitches
  • hobbles
  • hog-ties
  • holdbacks
  • holds back
  • holds up
  • holdups
  • hurdles
  • impairments
  • impedes
  • impediments
  • incommodities
  • inhibitions
  • inhibits
  • interferences
  • leashes
  • lets
  • liabilities
  • loads
  • manacles
  • millstones
  • minuses
  • mires
  • muzzles
  • negatives
  • obstacles
  • obstructions
  • obstructs
  • perils
  • reefs
  • reins
  • represses
  • restrains
  • restraints
  • retains
  • retards
  • roadblocks
  • rubs
  • sabotages
  • shackles
  • short-circuits
  • shortcomings
  • smothers
  • snags
  • stalls
  • stifles
  • stone walls
  • stoppages
  • stops
  • strangleholds
  • strangles
  • strikes
  • stumbling blocks
  • stumps
  • stymies
  • suffocates
  • suppresses
  • tethers
  • thwarts
  • ties
  • ties up
  • trammels

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