baulked
Stopped short, resisting
Baulked is the British spelling of balked—stopped short or refused to proceed.
A horse baulks at a jump it won't take.
A person baulks at a request they find unreasonable: She baulked at the idea of working weekends.
The spelling with "u" is standard in British English, while Americans write balked.
Paused from uncertainty
- pausedStopped temporarily
- falteredLost momentum or confidence
- waveredShowed unsteady resolve
- stalledStopped unexpectedly
held back · hung back · demurred · recoiled · shrank back · flinched · stopped short · pulled back
Prevented from succeeding
- blockedPassage prevented or impeded
- obstructedBlocked from proceeding
- hinderedSlowed or obstructed
- impededObstructed or slowed
frustrated · stymied · foiled · derailed · checked · stopped · prevented · barred
Declined to accept
- resistedRefused to yield
- rejectedRefused or turned away
- declinedRefused or diminished
- rebuffedRejected someone's advances
spurned · defied · objected · protested · dissented · dug in · pushed back
Shocked into momentary confusion
- startledAbruptly surprised or alarmed
- shockedDeeply startled or appalled
- disconcertedDisturbed and uneasy
- nonplussedPerplexed into silence
thrown · caught off guard · blindsided · wrongfooted · jolted · unsettled
hesitated
Paused from uncertainty
stalled · held back · hung back · demurred · recoiled · shrank back · flinched · stopped short · pulled back · second-guessed
thwarted
Prevented from succeeding
- blockedPassage prevented or impeded
- obstructedBlocked from proceeding
- hinderedSlowed or obstructed
impeded · frustrated · stymied · foiled · derailed · checked · stopped · prevented · barred · held up
refused
Declined to accept
rebuffed · spurned · defied · objected · protested · dissented · dug in · pushed back
taken aback
Shocked into momentary confusion
- startledAbruptly surprised or alarmed
- shockedDeeply startled or appalled
- disconcertedDisturbed and uneasy
nonplussed · thrown · caught off guard · blindsided · wrongfooted · jolted · unsettled
baulkedproceeded
Went on, moved forward
complied · acquiesced · agreed · consented · embraced
baulkedfacilitated
Made something simpler
allowed · helped · enabled · encouraged · assisted