balky
2
8.8
- adjective
- /ˈbɔːlki/
:
reacio
- Mom sighed, pulling at Dad and me, who were balky as goats.
- balky computer
- balky engine
- balky knees
Examples
-
Balky cows often stand stubbornly between the ranchers and a second cup of coffee, not to mention the rest of their busy schedules.
Academic text (2000) -
Even with balky knees, he managed to put up quite the numbers during his tenure here.
Blog text (20) -
As Sergeant Wolfgang Berkowitz, Zev had been adept at coping with the deep sand and balky machines of the North African desert.
Fiction book (1993) -
The pull on the horses by the river trying to propel the boat downstream, and the anxious words of encouragement from Ayla and Jondalar, finally convinced the balky animals to enter the water.
Fiction book (1990) -
The balky horse refused to move no matter how hard the rider urged it.
-
During the meeting, his balky attitude made it difficult for the team to reach a consensus.
-
The new software has a balky interface that frustrates users trying to navigate its features.
Synonyms
247
3.5
Not willing to do something because you feel unsure
217
2.9
Not willing to change your mind even when others try to persuade you
22
4.5
Not willing to help or work with others
11
8.1
Not willing to follow rules or accept control
2
7.6
Not following rules or instructions
1
8.1
Not willing to change your mind or actions
1
9.9
Unwilling to cooperate and often challenging authority
Unwilling to move forward or act
Refusing to change your mind
Often refuses to do what others ask
Refusing to change an opinion even when people give reasons
Antonyms
How Willing
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Balky comes from the older word balk, which once meant a beam or something that 'blocks the way' and later came to mean 'to stop' or 'refuse'. So a balky person, horse, or machine is like a block in the road — it simply will not move or cooperate.