balk
verb (used without object)
to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually followed byat ).
were balking
-
past progressiveof balk.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Companies tried to pass along their own price increases to customers, but customers were balking.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026
Customers were balking after a string of price increases.
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026
At the same time, advertisers were balking about sponsoring the show, and some would-be guests, such as White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, were expressing reluctance to be interviewed.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 24, 2023
At a time when some teams were balking at big payouts for their star running backs, Elliott was the first bank-breaker with a $90 million contract with the Cowboys in September 2019.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 29, 2021
The oxen were balking at walking in that blowing snow.
From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
