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Synonyms

balky

American  
[baw-kee] / ˈbɔ ki /

adjective

balkier, balkiest

  1. given to balking; stubborn; obstinate.

    a balky mule.
    Synonyms:
    pigheaded, mulish, headstrong, perverse, contrary
balky British  
/ ˈbɔːkɪ, ˈbɔːlkɪ /

adjective

  1. inclined to stop abruptly and unexpectedly

    a balky horse
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • balkily adverb
  • balkiness noun

Etymology

Origin of balky

First recorded in 1840–50; balk + -y 1

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.

Even with his career at its pinnacle and before his back became chronically balky, Woods found his way onto tabloid headlines.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 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

The original May 6 launch was scuttled hours before takeoff due to a balky rocket valve.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2024

They were balky, and it took me a few minutes to get them inside and the door shut and latched.

From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.