Balk
Balk verb - To prevent from achieving a goal.
Usage example: a young man with big dreams who refused to be balked by the daily obstacles of his inner-city existence
Thwart is a synonym for balk in allow topic. In some cases you can use "Thwart" instead a verb "Balk", when it comes to topics like impede, foil, frustrate. popular alternative
Thwart
Thwart verb - To prevent from achieving a goal.
Usage example: a coalition of grassroots organizations thwarted the company's efforts to get approval for a new power plant
Balk is a synonym for thwart in allow topic. You can use "Balk" instead a verb "Thwart", if it concerns topics such as stop. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Cite this Source
Thwart and Balk. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/balk/thwart
Balk & Thwart. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/balk/thwart>.
Thwart or Balk. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/balk/thwart.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "balk" and "thwart" have occurred on timeline