How to pronounce balking
Say it like BAW-king. Balking has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce balking. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BAW
- king
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Balking pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BAWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- kingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of balking
American and British speakers say balking in essentially the same way: /ˈbɔkɪŋ/ in the US and /ˈbɔːkɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: BAW-king.
What does balking mean?
- present participle and gerund of balk How to pronounce balk
- A frustration or disappointment; a check.
- Tending to thwart or impede; frustrating.
- Causing one to pause or stop; disheartening.
- That refuses to cooperate or fails to behave in the desired and expected manner.
Where does balking come from?
By surface analysis, balk + -ing.
Words that rhyme with balking
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of balking.
Questions about saying balking
How do you pronounce balking?
Say BAW-king. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɔkɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˈbɔːkɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in balking?
Balking has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAW). Broken into parts: BAW · king.
Do Americans and Brits say balking the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbɔkɪŋ/ and the British form is /ˈbɔːkɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.