BOTTLENECKS Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

bottlenecks 1 of 2

noun

plural of bottleneck

as in jams

a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement a bottleneck inevitably forms at the start of a construction zone when the highway narrows from three to two lanes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bottlenecks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bottleneck

as in snags

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bottlenecks

Noun

However, so long as shipping bottlenecks persist, the physical crude market must rely on temporary workarounds to sustain flow. — CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 To cut the flow would only add to the bottlenecks that the wars have created. — Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026 Case mix, payer mix, collections and operational bottlenecks can all influence the outcome. — Ajay Prasad, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 The Morrison critique — that bottlenecks come from mixing prep, cook and clean activities in the same square foot — is pushing designers to treat the room as a cluster of task zones rather than one open space. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026 The strategy aims to expand the fleet while easing submarine production bottlenecks. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026 On Sunrise Highway, also known as New York State Route 27, in Suffolk County, where three lanes merge into two in Patchogue, the bottlenecks are year-round. — Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 Persistent bottlenecks include the complexity and daunting list of materials and the recruitment of skilled labor to build them. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottlenecks

Noun

The only problem is that the lyrics aren’t really more comprehensible than actual Katseye jams.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2026
Most hoppers require you to place your bills as neat and evenly as possible to avoid jams and other issues, but better hoppers give you some wiggle room.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of jams

Verb

Some Arizona executions had snags When Strada was in Arizona, that state in 2022 resumed executions after a nearly eight-year break, following criticism about an execution that took about two hours as well as difficulties obtaining certain drugs.

— Ed White, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
In the book, when Hig tries to land there, a trip wire almost snags the Cessna and pulls them down to their deaths in a crash.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of snags

Verb

First responders typically treat opioid overdoses with a drug called naloxone, which temporarily blocks the mu-opioid receptors.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026
Removing standing access reduces blast radius and buys time, while quick access withdrawal across hybrid environments blocks attacker pathways.

— Robert Bobel, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of blocks

Verb

Diagnosed at age 3 with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that clogs the lungs with sticky mucus, Smith grew up with doctors expecting a cure to arrive in time to save her.

— Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
The fine powder clogs their digestive systems and prevents them from eating plants.

— Farima Ferguson, The Spruce, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of clogs

Verb

The novel’s conceit stems in part from my attempt to grapple with my family’s and my own trauma and what constitutes truth.

— Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
After cutting open both stems and swapping the batteries between earbuds, iFixit noticed the buds could no longer be charged.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of stems

Verb

The sheriff said vehicles parked in a way that impedes traffic will be towed at the owner's expense.

— Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
Typically, PAs are putting in 60-hour workweeks, and their duties can include everything from running errands to cleaning up messes to managing the general public when filming takes place in a location and impedes foot or car traffic.

— Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of impedes

Browse Nearby Words

bottlenecking

bottlenecks

bottles

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Bottlenecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottlenecks. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bottlenecks

noun

verb

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