as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
a balky toddler who only seemed to know the word "no" when told to do something
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Recent Examples of balky
The combined company had a balky management structure that included two executives sharing power at the top, and with vast cultural differences between its German and American operations.
—
Neal E. Boudette, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
On fourth down Allar, who fought gamely while playing with a balky left knee, threw incomplete to tight end Khalil Dinkins.
—Will Graves, Baltimore Sun, 2 Nov. 2024
White is being backed up by Cobie Durant, who also has a balky hamstring.
—Jay Paris, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
But the hi-tech equipment proved balky in its first live test.
—Bruce Haring, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for balky
Neal E. Boudette, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
On fourth down Allar, who fought gamely while playing with a balky left knee, threw incomplete to tight end Khalil Dinkins.
—Will Graves, Baltimore Sun, 2 Nov. 2024
White is being backed up by Cobie Durant, who also has a balky hamstring.
—Jay Paris, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
But the hi-tech equipment proved balky in its first live test.
—Bruce Haring, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for balky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balky
Adjective
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In addition, parents who are too strict might even end up with kids who are extra rebellious.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Boon will play Eddie Harrigan, Kevin’s rebellious son.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The attacks started this week after reports emerged that Assad loyalists had ambushed and killed members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – the rebel group that spearheaded the rebellion that ousted the former Syrian leader.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
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The singer and the songwriter traversed the frontlines of the urban guerrilla war that had consumed the city of Homs by that point, with one half of the city overtaken by regime soldiers and the other half controlled by rebel groups.—
Jawad Rizkallah,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Trump, in a defiant victory lap speech lasting roughly 100 minutes, credited his predecessor for high inflation and vowed to bring down the costs of everyday goods while previewing further economic pain from new tariffs.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
5 Mar. 2025
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Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images A defiant President Trump defended imposing new tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – three of the United States' largest and most crucial trading partners – at a joint session of Congress Tuesday night.—
Obed Manuel,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Another type of hyperpigmentation that kojic acid can help with is melasma—a stubborn and hard-to-treat skin condition characterized by splotchy, brown or grayish patches.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
4 Mar. 2025
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But four months after becoming the first Republican in two decades to win the popular vote, Trump faces a new reality of needing to tackle some of the most stubborn challenges awaiting any new president and deliver on his campaign promises to lower prices.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Or does so only briefly in the ambiguous ending, when Sofia throws off the last vestiges of her passivity and forces her recalcitrant mother into a reckoning with her condition.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Feb. 2025
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In an interview from a factory floor in El Salvador on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that foreign aid spending does not support U.S. aims and that USAID, the main conduit for foreign assistance, has been recalcitrant.—
ByCatherine Offord,
science.org,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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On March 19, 2024, Huger was charged with a DUI and DWI on the counts of: negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, endangering property, life, and person, as well as recklessly driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons and property.—
Gabriela Silva,
TVLine,
26 Feb. 2025
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These misguided concerns are due to a willful ignorance of how and why the city is proposing to structure the payments.—
Pat Dowell,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In those days, even small neighborhood theaters employed uniformed ushers to guide latecomers to their seats with a flashlight, patrol the aisles, and handle obstreperous customers.—
Thomas Doherty,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Dec. 2024
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Making clear that any future conflict would end with the reunification of the entire peninsula under the South’s authority should increase the North’s restraint, as well as reinforce China’s efforts to rein in its obstreperous ally.—
Richard Haass,
Foreign Affairs,
3 Apr. 2013
Adjective
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Even your grimy London suburb feels unsettling, but then again, it’s plagued by spooky goings-on: disappearances, violence, and wayward theories (specifically from your friend Marty) that there’s a demonic element to it all.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
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The handsome actor who starred as Jake Cutter in ABC’s adventure series, Tales of the Gold Monkey, and Diane Keaton’s wayward husband in the hit feature film, The First Wives Club, was perhaps best known for his role as wholesome pastor and dad Eric Camden on the WB series, 7th Heaven.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Balky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balky. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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