bottleneck

[ bot-l-nek ]

noun

1. a narrow entrance or passageway.
2. a place or stage in a process at which progress is impeded.
3. Also called slide guitar. a method of guitar playing that produces a gliding sound by pressing a metal bar or glass tube against the strings.

verb (used with object)

1. to hamper or confine by or as if by a bottleneck.

verb (used without object)

1. to become hindered by or as if by a bottleneck.

bottleneck

/ ˈbɒtəlˌnɛk /

noun

1. 1. a narrow stretch of road or a junction at which traffic is or may be held up
   2. the hold up
2. something that holds up progress, esp of a manufacturing process
3. music
   1. the broken-off neck of a bottle placed over a finger and used to produce a buzzing effect in a style of guitar-playing originally part of the American blues tradition
   2. the style of guitar playing using a bottleneck

verb

1. tr to be or cause an obstruction in

bottleneck

/ bŏt′l-nĕk′ /

1. An abrupt and severe reduction in the number of individuals during the history of a species, resulting in the loss of diversity from the gene pool. The generations following the bottleneck are more genetically homogenous than would otherwise be expected. Bottlenecks often occur in consequence of a catastrophic event.

bottleneck

1. The point at which an industry or economic system has to slow its growth because one or more of its components cannot keep up with demand .

Word History and Origins

Origin of bottleneck¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; bottle ¹ + neck

Example Sentences

Others fall outside the realm of science, like manufacturing bottlenecks, distribution challenges, vaccine hesitancy, and fear of medical establishments spreads through social media.

From Quartz

If Series A is the new bottleneck, well, invest more in product and growth so you don’t slam into the capital wall.

From TechCrunch

Clearly this big spend on reducing supply bottlenecks is a longer-term play.

From TechCrunch

We don’t really know how this bottleneck is affecting which strains of flu are circulating for the same reason.

From FiveThirtyEight

As shoots compete for locations and studio space, cast and crew members, a bottleneck may emerge.

From Digiday

It aims to eliminate the biggest bottleneck in a bar—processing payments.

From The Daily Beast

When U.S. output started to soar more recently, the bottleneck came early.

From The Daily Beast

Also, because Jobs insists on being involved in all products that Apple ships, he ends up becoming a bottleneck.

From The Daily Beast

The rankings then provide a still deeper look—at the most congested bottleneck segment for the worst highway in each area.

From The Daily Beast

The seven-year-long bottleneck in Cuba has finally been eased.

From The Daily Beast

This enables it to do its intended job without acting as a bottleneck in jobs requiring the power of the front end.

From Project Gutenberg

We have already reached the point where shipping is no longer the bottleneck in the return of troops from the European theater.

From Project Gutenberg

In an age of electronics, lack of copper had become a serious bottleneck in the production of electrical and scientific equipment.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• barrier
• blockage
• congestion
• hindrance
• impediment
• snag
• traffic jam