Meaning & use
balk
To hesitate or refuse to proceed with something, usually out of reluctance or fear.
See it in a sentence
He balked at the price of the repair and decided to buy a new one.
Investors quickly balked when the company revealed its massive hidden debt.
A note on using this word
Balk is typically followed by 'at,' as in 'balk at the cost' or 'balk at the idea.'
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
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