as in jam
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
Relevance
as in linear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to dam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bottleneck
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2025
Reuters interviewed 10 industry figures, including people at Toyota and its suppliers, who described bottlenecks affecting the hybrid supply chain.
—Aditi Shah and Norihiko Shirouzu, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2013
To compare pre- and post-bottleneck genetic diversity, the researchers sequenced DNA from 1,000-year-old penguin bones on the island.
—Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 22 Feb. 2012
Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025
This will likely happen when the graphics card is bottlenecked by either the game engine or your CPU.
—Michael Justin Allen Sexton, PCMAG, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottleneck
Noun
In this view, progress is always being throttled by bottlenecks, which—to the relief of some people—will slow the integration of A.I. into our society.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2025
Reuters interviewed 10 industry figures, including people at Toyota and its suppliers, who described bottlenecks affecting the hybrid supply chain.
—Aditi Shah and Norihiko Shirouzu, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
The impact of the pre-bottleneck period is attenuated, because much of the population was simply not genetically sampled.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2013
To compare pre- and post-bottleneck genetic diversity, the researchers sequenced DNA from 1,000-year-old penguin bones on the island.
—Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 22 Feb. 2012
Verb
Even if China is able to build formidable models thanks to efficiency gains, export controls will likely bottleneck their ability to deploy their models to a wide userbase.
—Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025
This will likely happen when the graphics card is bottlenecked by either the game engine or your CPU.
—Michael Justin Allen Sexton, PCMAG, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottleneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottleneck
Noun
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For lunch there are soups, salads, quiches and toasts, such as avocado toast or peanut butter and jam.—
Andrea Onate,
Footwear News,
7 Apr. 2025
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After a pair of visits by pitching coach Pete Maki, Alcalde got out of the jam by striking out Yordan Alvarez looking and getting Christian Walker to fly out.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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While questions remain, especially about the plan for declining linear TV networks, the business is still throwing off a lot of cash.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2025
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Conversely, the human System 2 approach is more linear as it is comprised of a clear goal with code constructed to achieve that goal that, in the hands of an experienced coder, is more likely to be mostly correct with just a few bugs to fix.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Catch up quick: Glen Canyon is home to particularly sensitive ecosystems and archeological sites that have been threatened since the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation dammed the Colorado River there in the 1960s.—
Erin Alberty,
Axios,
5 Mar. 2025
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His firsthand experiences along the river reveal the contrasting beauty and devastation of this once mighty waterway, which has been heavily diverted and dammed for human use.—
Donny Bajohr,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The brushroll has a tangle-resistant design to keep hair and pet dander from clogging your vacuum, and the vacuum can lay totally flat for effective under-couch cleaning or deconstruct into a hand vac size.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
4 Apr. 2025
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Ilia’s formula is packed with quality ingredients that won’t clog pores or make any of my skin issues worse.—
Megan Schaltegger,
People.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Arbitrary rules shouldn’t hinder deserved recognition.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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However, choosing to avoid office politics can seriously hinder your career growth.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The project will produce 4 million tons of compressed bio-gas and 1.1 million metric tons of organic fertiliser annually when completed, Reliance said.—
Ian Sayson,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Ars previously covered a likely lithium-ion caused fire in a suburban Chicago truck that spread to the truck's compressed natural gas (CNG) tanks, causing an explosion that injured firefighters and damaged nearby homes.—
Kevin Purdy,
ArsTechnica,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The current junta similarly blocked relief in 2023 after Cyclone Mocha, denying visas to aid workers and holding up aid packages in customs.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
3 Apr. 2025
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Experience blocking: Parents can now block specific games and experiences.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The charges were first dropped a few weeks into President Donald Trump’s second term in part because the case would impede Adams’ ability to do his job as mayor, including cooperating with Trump’s immigration crackdown, the Justice Department’s new acting deputy attorney general wrote.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2025
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Removing opportunities for public commentary could impede the department’s ability to operate in the public’s interest, according to experts who spoke with Reuters.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bottleneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottleneck. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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