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
Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Indonesian cinema is booming, with local films breaking admissions records last year and on course for even further growth in 2025, but the lack of screens in the country has created a distribution bottleneck, said speakers on a Cannes Marche panel.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 19 May 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
Conor Feehly, Scientific American, 4 Mar. 2025
Many trade allies and contractors lack the labor needed to meet project demand, causing workforce bottlenecks that impact both urban and rural economies.
—Brynn Cooksey, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottleneck
Noun
And though there had been fears about road conditions before the race, the first issues only arose with the race back in Italy — an awkward bottleneck on stage four in Lecce.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Indonesian cinema is booming, with local films breaking admissions records last year and on course for even further growth in 2025, but the lack of screens in the country has created a distribution bottleneck, said speakers on a Cannes Marche panel.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 19 May 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
Consequently, relative to other elements concentrations of oxygen would have still been low, potentially bottlenecking water’s ready formation.
—Conor Feehly, Scientific American, 4 Mar. 2025
Many trade allies and contractors lack the labor needed to meet project demand, causing workforce bottlenecks that impact both urban and rural economies.
—Brynn Cooksey, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottleneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottleneck
Noun
-
But Kyle Tucker’s run-scoring single in the fifth put the Cubs ahead again, and Taillon got out of a jam in the sixth, aided by Nico Hoerner nailing a runner at the plate on a fielder’s choice grounder.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2025
-
The next blues jam at The Bakery District is set for 1-6 p.m. June 15.—
Monica Hooper,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
Then again, even if Biden had done more interviews or press conferences, our insight into his condition would not have been perfect: decline is not a linear process; good days can obscure bad ones, and vice versa.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
-
In its third year, the show has grown every season so far in linear ratings; its seven-day audience before streaming is up by about 3 percent year to year at 6.82 million viewers.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2025
Verb
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These results highlight a strange irony: Humans have made the world more stressful for all kinds of animals by, for example, destroying their habitat and damming up rivers.—
Benji Jones,
Vox,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Animal Power, Quantified (Eos) by Carolyn Wilke Beavers damming rivers and termites building earthen mounds aren’t just interesting subjects for nature shows.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
So socks on carpeting will still likely be avoided entirely instead of being picked up (which is still better than being sucked up and clogging the robovac).—
Anthony Karcz,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
-
More problematic than imposing on your gracious hospitality, ants can clog the nectar ports so hummingbirds can't access the nectar.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
18 May 2025
Verb
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He has been charged with a collision involving damage to a vehicle and hindering apprehension, both misdemeanors.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2025
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However, incomplete knowledge of prolonged symptoms experienced after a young child’s own SARS-CoV-2 infection hinders prevention and treatment of LC in infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children.—
Anuradha Varanasi,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
The fact that the team had only participated in 12 races prior to 2010 highlights how, in this F1 era and within a relatively compressed segment of the world championship’s 75-year history, only Mercedes and Red Bull have attained true superteam status.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
-
Some beanbag chairs may even be filled with compressed foam.—
Kathleen Felton,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2025
Verb
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The Four of Pentacles suggests that clinging too tightly to control or resources may block abundance from flowing freely into your life.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 June 2025
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Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza blocked and offloaded 77 food trucks, the U.N. World Food Program said, as hunger mounts amid Israel's monthslong blockade of the territory.—
SAM MEDNICK,
Arkansas Online,
1 June 2025
Verb
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The Justice Department announced charges against McIver on May 19 for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement related to an altercation at a Newark immigration facility.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Representative LaMonica McIver has been charged with allegedly assaulting, resisting, and impeding law enforcement officers following an incident outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in New Jersey.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bottleneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottleneck. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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