Balk vs. Bulk — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 20, 2024
Balk refers to hesitating or refusing to proceed or comply, often due to reluctance or objection. Bulk, on the other hand, signifies the majority or main part of something, often relating to size, volume, or quantity.
Difference Between Balk and Bulk
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Balk is primarily used to describe a situation where someone shows reluctance or refuses to move forward or comply with a request or directive, often due to objections, fear, or uncertainty. This term can apply to people or animals, especially in contexts where there's a visible hesitation or stop in response to a perceived obstacle or disagreement. Bulk, in contrast, refers to the larger part or majority of something, whether it's material, like the bulk of an object signifying its mass or volume, or abstract, like the bulk of the work, indicating the major portion of a task.
While balk implies a sudden stop or refusal in the face of an expectation or challenge, highlighting an interruption in action or agreement, bulk emphasizes the predominant or most substantial part of something. The term bulk is often associated with physical dimensions and quantities, but it can also metaphorically represent the main or largest portion of non-physical entities, such as time, effort, or information.
Balk can also carry a connotation of obstinacy or stubbornness, where the refusal to proceed is seen as a deliberate choice or reaction to a specific situation. This action, or lack thereof, can be strategic or emotional, based on personal principles or fear. Conversely, bulk is a neutral term that simply quantifies or identifies the major part of something without implying any judgment or emotional response.
In sports, to balk is to make an illegal motion before pitching, deceiving the base runner; this specific use of the term demonstrates a halt or failure to complete an expected action under rules that govern behavior. Bulk, however, could refer to the physical stature of athletes, emphasizing their mass or size, or to the main portion of a game or season, indicating where the most activity or significant events occurred.
The distinction between balk and bulk is clear: balk is about hesitation, refusal, or interruption, often with an underlying reason or reaction, whereas bulk denotes size, volume, or the major portion of something, whether tangible or abstract. Each term serves a different descriptive purpose, with balk focusing on the dynamics of action and reaction, and bulk on quantifying or emphasizing predominance or majority.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
Refusing to proceed or comply
The majority or main part of something
Context
Hesitation, objection, sports rules
Size, volume, quantity, predominant part
Connotation
Reluctance, interruption
Size, mass, majority
Usage
Actions, decisions, sports
Quantities, sizes, major portions
Example
An athlete balking at a jump
The bulk of the shipment
Compare with Definitions
Balk
Refusal.
She balked at the idea of working late hours.
Bulk
Main Portion.
The bulk of the evidence supports the theory.
Balk
Sports Specific.
The pitcher balked, leading to a penalty.
Bulk
Physical Size.
The bulk of the new warehouse is impressive.
Balk
Stubbornness.
He balked at every suggestion, making compromise impossible.
Bulk
Overall Mass.
The athlete's bulk was an advantage in the sport.
Balk
Obstacle Response.
The negotiations balked at the final hurdle.
Bulk
Large Quantity.
They ordered the materials in bulk to save money.
Balk
A sudden and obstinate stop.
Bulk
Majority.
The bulk of the project is complete.
Balk
(baseball) An illegal motion by the pitcher, intended to deceive a runner.
Bulk
Size, mass, or volume, especially when very large.
Balk
Hesitation.
The horse balked at the fence, refusing to jump.
Bulk
A distinct mass or portion of matter, especially a large one
The dark bulk of buildings against the sky.
Balk
In baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. Most of these violations involve a pitcher pretending to pitch when they have no intention of doing so.
Bulk
The body of a human, especially when large or muscular.
Balk
To stop short and refuse to go on
The horse balked at the jump.
Bulk
The major portion or greater part
"The great bulk of necessary work can never be anything but painful" (Bertrand Russell).
Balk
To refuse obstinately or abruptly
She balked at the very idea of compromise.
Bulk
See fiber.
Balk
(Sports) To make an incomplete or misleading motion.
Bulk
Thickness of paper or cardboard in relation to weight.
Balk
(Baseball) To make an illegal motion before pitching, allowing one or more base runners to advance one base.
Bulk
A ship's cargo.
Balk
To check or thwart by or as if by an obstacle.
Bulk
To be or appear to be massive in terms of size, volume, or importance; loom
Safety considerations bulked large during development of the new spacecraft.
Balk
(Archaic) To let go by; miss.
Bulk
To grow or increase in size or importance.
Balk
A hindrance, check, or defeat.
Bulk
To cohere or form a mass
Certain paper bulks well.
Balk
(Sports) An incomplete or misleading motion, especially an illegal move made by a baseball pitcher.
Bulk
To cause to swell or expand.
Balk
(Games) One of the spaces between the cushion and the balk line on a billiard table.
Bulk
To cause to cohere or form a mass.
Balk
An unplowed strip of land.
Bulk
Being large in mass, quantity, or volume
A bulk buy.
A bulk mailing.
Balk
A ridge between furrows.
Bulk
Size, specifically, volume.
Balk
A wooden beam or rafter.
Bulk
Any huge body or structure.
Balk
(agriculture) An uncultivated ridge formed in the open field system, caused by the action of ploughing.
Bulk
The major part of something.
The bulk of my income comes from my office job, but I also teach a couple of evening classes.
I understood the bulk of what you were saying, just one of two points I need to hear again.
Balk
(archaeology) The wall of earth at the edge of an excavation.
Bulk
Dietary fibre.
Balk
Beam, crossbeam; squared timber; a tie beam of a house, stretching from wall to wall, especially when laid so as to form a loft, "the balks".
Bulk
Unpackaged goods when transported in large volumes, e.g. coal, ore or grain.
Balk
A hindrance or disappointment; a check.
Bulk
(countable) a cargo or any items moved or communicated in the manner of cargo.
Balk
(obsolete) An omission.
Bulk
(bodybuilding) Excess body mass, especially muscle.
Balk
(sports) A deceptive motion.
Bulk
(bodybuilding) A period where one tries to gain muscle.
Balk
(badminton) A motion used to deceive the opponent during a serve.
Bulk
(brane cosmology) A hypothetical higher-dimensional space within which our own four-dimensional universe may exist.
Balk
(billiards) The area of the table lying behind the line from which the cue ball is initially shot, and from which a ball in hand must be played.
Bulk
(obsolete) The body.
Balk
(snooker) The area of the table lying behind the baulk line.
Bulk
Being large in size, mass or volume (of goods, etc.)
Balk
(fishing) The rope by which fishing nets are fastened together.
Bulk
Total
Balk
(archaic) To pass over or by.
Bulk
(intransitive) To appear or seem to be, as to bulk or extent.
Balk
To omit, miss, or overlook by chance.
Bulk
(intransitive) To grow in size; to swell or expand.
Balk
(obsolete) To miss intentionally; to avoid.
Bulk
(intransitive) To gain body mass by means of diet, exercise, etc.
Balk
To stop, check, block.
Bulk
(transitive) To put or hold in bulk.
Balk
To stop short and refuse to go on.
The horse balked.
Bulk
To add bulk to, to bulk out.
Balk
To refuse suddenly.
Bulk
Magnitude of material substance; dimensions; mass; size; as, an ox or ship of great bulk.
Against these forces there were prepared near one hundred ships; not so great of bulk indeed, but of a more nimble motion, and more serviceable.
Balk
To disappoint; to frustrate.
To balk expectation
Bulk
The main mass or body; the largest or principal portion; the majority; as, the bulk of a debt.
The bulk of the people must labor, Burke told them, "to obtain what by labor can be obtained."
Balk
To engage in contradiction; to be in opposition.
Bulk
The cargo of a vessel when stowed.
Balk
To leave or make balks in.
Bulk
The body.
My liver leaped within my bulk.
Balk
To leave heaped up; to heap up in piles.
Bulk
A projecting part of a building.
Here, stand behind this bulk.
Balk
To make a deceptive motion to deceive another player.
Bulk
To appear or seem to be, as to bulk or extent; to swell.
The fame of Warburton possibly bulked larger for the moment.
Balk
To indicate to fishermen, by shouts or signals from shore, the direction taken by the shoals of herring.
Bulk
The property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part;
The majority of his customers prefer it
The bulk of the work is finished
Balk
A ridge of land left unplowed between furrows, or at the end of a field; a piece missed by the plow slipping aside.
Bad plowmen made balks of such ground.
Bulk
The property of something that is great in magnitude;
It is cheaper to buy it in bulk
He received a mass of correspondence
The volume of exports
Balk
A great beam, rafter, or timber; esp., the tie-beam of a house. The loft above was called "the balks."
Tubs hanging in the balks.
Bulk
The property possessed by a large mass
Balk
One of the beams connecting the successive supports of a trestle bridge or bateau bridge.
Bulk
Stick out or up;
The parcel bulked in the sack
Balk
A hindrance or disappointment; a check.
A balk to the confidence of the bold undertaker.
Bulk
Cause to bulge or swell outwards
Balk
A sudden and obstinate stop; a failure.
Balk
A deceptive gesture of the pitcher, as if to deliver the ball. It is illegal and is penalized by allowing the runners on base to advance one base.
Balk
To leave or make balks in.
Balk
To omit, miss, or overlook by chance.
Balk
To miss intentionally; to avoid; to shun; to refuse; to let go by; to shirk.
By reason of the contagion then in London, we balked the inns.
Sick he is, and keeps his bed, and balks his meat.
Nor doth he any creature balk,But lays on all he meeteth.
Balk
To disappoint; to frustrate; to foil; to baffle; to thwart; as, to balk expectation.
They shall not balk my entrance.
Balk
To engage in contradiction; to be in opposition.
In strifeful terms with him to balk.
Balk
To stop abruptly and stand still obstinately; to jib; to stop short; to swerve; as, the horse balks.
Ne ever ought but of their true loves talkt,Ne ever for rebuke or blame of any balkt.
Balk
To commit a balk{6}; - of a pitcher.
Balk
To indicate to fishermen, by shouts or signals from shore, the direction taken by the shoals of herring.
Balk
The area on a billiard table behind the balkline;
A player with ball in hand must play from the balk
Balk
Something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
Balk
One of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
Balk
An illegal pitching motion while runners are on base
Balk
Refuse to comply
Common Curiosities
What does bulk mean?
Bulk refers to the majority or main part of something, often related to size, volume, or quantity.
Can balk have positive implications?
While typically associated with reluctance, balking can be positive if it prevents a hasty or ill-advised action.
Is bulk always related to physical size?
No, bulk can refer to the main portion of non-physical entities too, such as work or information.
How is balk used in sports?
In baseball, a balk is an illegal motion by a pitcher that deceives a base runner, leading to a penalty.
What does it mean to balk?
To balk means to hesitate or refuse to proceed, often because of reluctance or objection.
What are common situations where someone might balk?
Common situations include facing unfamiliar tasks, disagreeing with proposals, or reacting to unexpected challenges.
Is balk related to specific emotions?
Balking can be driven by various emotions, including fear, uncertainty, or stubbornness.
Can balk indicate a temporary hesitation?
Yes, balking can be a temporary hesitation before a decision or action is finally taken.
Can balk be used constructively in decision-making?
Yes, constructively balking can prompt further reflection or investigation, leading to more informed decisions.
Can the term bulk be used in all contexts?
Bulk is versatile and can be used in various contexts to denote the main or largest part, whether physical or abstract.
What role does the bulk of something play in analysis?
The bulk often represents the primary focus or majority component in an analysis, guiding conclusions or strategies.
How is the concept of bulk important in logistics?
In logistics, understanding the bulk of materials helps in planning for storage, transportation, and distribution efficiently.
How does bulk purchasing work?
Bulk purchasing involves buying goods in large quantities, often at a discounted rate, to save money or stock up.
Does the bulk of something always imply a physical measurement?
No, while often associated with physical dimensions, bulk can also refer to the predominant part of abstract quantities.
How do balk and bulk differ in their implications for progress?
Balk implies a stoppage or delay in progress due to hesitation, whereas bulk refers to the substantive or main elements that contribute to or define progress.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Renter vs. Tenant
Next Comparison
Indisputable vs. UndisputableAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
