Nearby Words
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| Main Entry: |
balk
 [bawk] 
|
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop short |
| Synonyms: | cramp, crimp, demur, desist, dodge, evade, flinch, hesitate, recoil, refuse, resist, shirk, shrink from, shy, turn down, upset apple cart |
| Main Entry: | back down |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | back off |
| Synonyms: | abandon, accede, acquiesce, admit, back off, back out, back pedal, backtrack, balk, beg off, bow out, cancel, cave in, chicken out, chicken out, concede, cop out, demur, give ground, give in, give up, go back on, have no fight left, hold back, pull back, pull out, recant, recoil, renege, resign, retreat, submit, surrender, take back, wimp out, withdraw, withdraw from agreement or statement, yield |
| Antonyms: | go forward |
| Main Entry: | dash |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | discourage, frustrate |
| Synonyms: | abash, baffle, balk, beat, bilk, blast, blight, chagrin, chill, circumvent, cloud, confound, dampen, disappoint, discomfort, dismay, dispirit, foil, nip, ruin, spoil, thwart |
Example Sentences
- Investors balked because the company was foreign-based and the stake was not a controlling position.
- And its customers balked at paying for being spared the torment of supermarket shopping.
- Management balked at an outright no-layoff guarantee.
| Main Entry: | decline |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | say no |
| Synonyms: | abjure, abstain, avoid, balk, beg to be excused, bypass, demur, deny, desist, disapprove, dismiss, don't buy, forbear, forgo, gainsay, nix, not accept, not hear of, not think of, pass on, refrain, refuse, reject, renounce, reprobate, repudiate, send regrets, shy, spurn, turn down, turn thumbs down |
| Notes: | one declines (or accepts) something that is offered; one refuses (or agrees) to accept something offered |
| Antonyms: | accept, say yes |
| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | frustrate |
| Synonyms: | baffle, balk, beat down, beat the system, blank, block, bury, cast down, cause setback, checkmate, circumvent, confound, contravene, cook*, counterplot, cross, disappoint, discomfit, disconcert, disprove, edge out, foil, invalidate, neutralize, nonplus, nose out, nullify, outwit, overturn, put end to, puzzle, quell, reduce, refute, ruin, scuttle, shave, shellac, skunk, spoil, squash, stump, subdue, subjugate, surmount, take wind out of sails, throw for loop, thwart, undo, victimize |
| Antonyms: | abet, aid, encourage, help, inspirit |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | demur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disagree |
| Synonyms: | balk, cavil, challenge, combat, complain, deprecate, disapprove, dispute, doubt, fight, hem and haw, hesitate, object, oppose, pause, protest, pussyfoot, refuse, remonstrate, resist, scruple, shy, stick, stickle, strain, take exception, vacillate, wait and see, waver |
| Antonyms: | accept, agree, consent, go along |
| Main Entry: | disappoint |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | sadden, dismay; frustrate |
| Synonyms: | abort, baffle, balk, bring to naught, bungle, cast down, chagrin, circumvent, come to nothing, dash, dash hopes, deceive, delude, disconcert, disenchant, disgruntle, dishearten, disillusion, dissatisfy, dumbfound, embitter, fail, fall down on, fall flat, fall short of, foil, founder, hamper, hinder, leave in the lurch, let down, miscarry, mislead, not show, put out, ruin prospects, stand up, tease, thwart, torment, vex |
| Antonyms: | delight, excite, make happy, please, satisfy |
| Main Entry: | disappointed |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | let down, saddened |
| Synonyms: | aghast, balked, beaten, chapfallen, complaining, crestfallen, defeated, depressed, despondent, disconcerted, discontented, discouraged, disenchanted, disgruntled, disillusioned, dissatisfied, distressed, down, down in the dumps, downcast, downhearted, foiled, frustrated, hopeless, objecting, shot down, taken down, thwarted, unhappy, unsatisfied, upset, vanquished, worsted |
| Antonyms: | delighted, excited, happy, pleased, satisfied |
| Main Entry: | discomfit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defeat, frustrate; confuse |
| Synonyms: | abash, annoy, baffle, balk, beat, bother, checkmate, confound, demoralize, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, disturb, embarrass, faze, fluster, foil, irk, outwit, overcome, perplex, perturb, prevent, rattle, ruffle, take aback, thwart, trump, unsettle, upset, vex, worry, worst |
| Antonyms: | surrender, yield |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2012 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
