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

Hudson had back-to-back Tommy John surgeries in 2012 and 2013, but he was derailed by a pair of balky knees in 2022 and 2023.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2024

After quite a struggle and a tug of war with a balky zipper, we finally got the suits on, and our helmets and gloves locked in place.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins