View synonyms for

bottleneck

[ bot-l-nek ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a narrow entrance or passageway.
a place or stage in a process at which progress is impeded.
Also called slide guitar. a method of guitar playing that produces a gliding sound by pressing a metal bar or glass tube against the strings.

verb (used with object)

to hamper or confine by or as if by a bottleneck.

verb (used without object)

to become hindered by or as if by a bottleneck.

bottleneck

/ ˈ��ɒ��ə��ˌ��ɛ�� /

noun

1. a narrow stretch of road or a junction at which traffic is or may be held up
2. the hold up
something that holds up progress, esp of a manufacturing process
music
1. the broken-off neck of a bottle placed over a finger and used to produce a buzzing effect in a style of guitar-playing originally part of the American blues tradition
2. the style of guitar playing using a bottleneck

verb

tr to be or cause an obstruction in

bottleneck

An abrupt and severe reduction in the number of individuals during the history of a species, resulting in the loss of diversity from the gene pool. The generations following the bottleneck are more genetically homogenous than would otherwise be expected. Bottlenecks often occur in consequence of a catastrophic event.

bottleneck

The point at which an industry or economic system has to slow its growth because one or more of its components cannot keep up with demand .

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Word History and Origins

Origin of bottleneck¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; bottle ¹ + neck

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Congressional members warn that bottlenecked courts will be hurt as Trump administration fire immigration judges, demand that Atty.

From

A wrong-way crash on the 10 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles led to one fatality and a bottleneck for holiday travelers.

From

Rachel Bradburne, of the National Association of Funeral Directors, said the "piecemeal" nature of the system was "frustrating" and the current system was "full of bottlenecks and delays".

From

"That's a bottleneck and there's nothing they can do, unless they change their stance on immigration entirely. You can't just magic PhDs out of nowhere."

From

First, the bureaucratic bottlenecks that the abundance Dems want to circumvent are closely guarded by progressive constituencies.

From

Related Words

bottle-jack bottlenose

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