bottleneck 1 of 3

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

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bottleneck

2 of 3

adjective

bottleneck

3 of 3

verb

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 bottleneck
Adjective
The tea wholesalers oversee another part of the process, too, where a third bottleneck is bottlenecking: packing. HubSpot, 20 June 2025 Currently, experts say, AI’s performance is bottlenecked by these two factors, especially power capacity. Billy Perrigo, TIME, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
While regulation is a bottleneck to AI innovation, there’s a significant barrier to AI adoption in the lack of education on something that will impact every person in the world, noted Sarah Franklin, CEO of human resources platform Lattice. semafor.com, 8 July 2025 As production ramped up, process engineers, who sometimes patrolled the assembly line with stopwatches, looked for bottlenecks and rejiggered the assembly line. Verne Kopytoff, Fortune, 5 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bottleneck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bottleneck
Noun
  • Meanwhile, across the street, The Hitch General Store delights visitors with nostalgic treats such as Goo Goo Clusters, Moon Pies, jams, honey, and classic bottled sodas.
    Korrin Bishop, Southern Living, 13 July 2025
  • Meghan Markle's As Ever online shop has now sold out in minutes on three occasions, leaving fans scrambling to get hold of her products, from jam to rosé wine.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • Conclusion: Time to Retire the ‘End User’ The term ‘end user’ belongs to an earlier era of linear systems and passive tools.
    Lindsay Phillips, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • The linear city had aimed to house 1.5 million people by then, but is now targeting 300,000 residents.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • Streams were dammed, diseases struck and the American bullfrog, a fearsome predator and the largest native frog east of the Rocky Mountains, was introduced.
    Nathan Rott, NPR, 19 July 2025
  • The decade-long battle, in which conservation and wilderness preservation organizations fought to halt damming the Buffalo River, ended in 1972.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • Clean the mower’s deck frequently to prevent clogging.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 July 2025
  • The flood, which started when a neighboring pond overflowed and clogged nearby drains, devastated the family home.
    Sofi Zeman July 17, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • While the overall economic forecast remains ambiguous due to persistent worries regarding tariffs affecting major trading partners—which may incite inflation and hinder growth—Goldman is projected to gain from robust performance in its trading division.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • And further change to Apple’s executive ranks might hinder their efforts to expand in AI.
    Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • This would be fired out by compressed air or other gas, then unfold its wings, making for a quicker and easier launch but at the cost of some cost and complexity.
    David Hambling, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Get creative when a vacuum fails to clean out a dusty area: maybe a blowdryer or a blast of compressed air will work.
    Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • The restoration of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, designation comes after a New York federal judge earlier this month blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to shave six months off of the protections, which are usually for 18 months.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 19 July 2025
  • The bill also strengthens the federal government’s ability to combat illicit use of digital assets by allowing the Treasury to block access to stablecoins issued by foreign entities that fail to comply with U.S. law.
    Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • Though no charges have been filed, the probe was backed by DOJ leadership and stemmed from a memo by former Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, now a Trump judicial nominee, urging prosecution of state actors who impede immigration enforcement.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
  • Agents were executing a search warrant at the farm and arrested several individuals on suspicion of impeding the operation, according to Essayli.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bottleneck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bottleneck. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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