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
Aside from building new hubs, India’s government has sought to bolster the country’s air cargo capabilities by removing the mandatory rescreening of transshipment cargo at transit stations to alleviate supply chain bottlenecks. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026 Sure, there are still bottlenecks galore (memory, power, a limited number of fabs). — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, growing backlash against data centers from local communities and ongoing hardware bottlenecks are adding to concerns that investments into the AI infrastructure buildout may soon slow. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026 Ordering components early could help Kratos avoid supply bottlenecks as production demand grows. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026 Rapid development in the Steele Creek area has outpaced infrastructure upgrades and caused bottlenecks throughout the day. — Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026 Concerns are growing that the de-facto tolling of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a domino effect for key shipping bottlenecks worldwide, creating more global inflation and effectively killing key components of international maritime law. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026 Each of these last-mile bottlenecks affects revenue, expenses, the balance sheet and operations, and ultimately shareholder value, which means that navigating this internal AI delivery problem fits squarely in the CFO’s mandate. — Jim Deloach, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Berkeley Fire Chief Dave Sprague raised safety concerns in 2023 about clearance space for fire engines and evacuation bottlenecks in the case of a fire, which caused the plan to be shelved. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottlenecks
  1. jams
  2. snags
  3. snarls
  4. blocks
  5. hinders
  6. clogs
  7. stems
  8. impedes
Noun
  • Meghan’s As Ever lifestyle company is based in California, and sells products associated with a high-end Californian lifestyle – rosé wine, flower sprinkles and jams, as Boshoff reported.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The seller of Folgers coffee and Smucker’s jams also raised its forecast for profit over the full year.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of jams
Verb
  • Luckily, a wake-up chat with Marshall puts Ted back on track, and the night isn’t a total wash — Ted snags a yellow umbrella from the club and just misses the Mother.
    — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Guest judge Willy Chavarria praises how Jeffrey’s outfit moved (my favorite thing about it), but the strength of Naheim’s tromp l’oeil effect snags him the win, immunity for the next challenge, and $20,000 from Viva.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of snags
Noun
  • The wildly popular Instagram page was offline for a hot minute, leaving the general pop pining for videos on the myriad zany happenings in our city, from traffic snarls and celebrity shenanigans to animal encounters and fights outside the club.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • The state Department of Transportation is scheduled to install temporary three-way stop signs at the intersections during a road project that’s already created mind-numbing traffic snarls and angry and confused drivers.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026
Definition of snarls
Verb
  • The effect essentially gives Roman a parking spot in space, enabling engineers on Earth to remain in constant contact with the telescope, while making sure Earth never blocks its view of the cosmos.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 30 Aug. 2026
  • If the teams refuse to enroll the players who benefit from the TRO, those players could petition Hoffman to clarify that his order also blocks the SEC from punishing schools.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of blocks
Verb
  • True commitment allows strategies to develop and succeed, as indecision hinders progress.
    — Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Neptune retrograde hinders our intuition, leaving us lost in the fog.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 15 July 2026
Definition of hinders
Verb
  • The fine powder clogs their digestive systems and prevents them from eating plants.
    — Farima Ferguson, The Spruce, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Their active roster is predominantly right-handed, which clogs up some of the lineup decisions for Roberts.
    — Katie Woo, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of clogs
Verb
  • The affordability issue stems more from the fact that wages have not kept pace with cost of living increases over those 20 years.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Over time, this can result in long stretches of bare stems closer to the pot as the plant concentrates on developing new growth on the tips of the vines.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of stems
Verb
  • 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
  • Contempt of Congress is a federal misdemeanor in which an individual willfully disobeys or impedes a congressional investigation.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of impedes

Browse Nearby Words

bottlenecking
bottlenecks
bottles
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Cite this Entry

“Bottlenecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottlenecks. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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