balky

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I jury-rigged a heating element for our Kenmore refrigerator’s balky ice-maker water-feed tube.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Maintaining and fixing a balky machine teaches necessary humility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

There’s an argument to be made that the feds could believe they have a balky case and want to bloody up Adams in the public eye ahead of a trial.

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2024

So there was Woods, with his fused ankle and balky back, carefully traversing the hilly property again this week.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 10, 2024

The machine had gone balky as an old donkey, losing Mr. Curtain’s train of thought and sometimes misunderstanding him altogether.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart