Word
bottleneck
Phoneticsbot·tle·neck, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbɑtəɫˌnɛk/
UK/bˈɒtəlnˌɛk/
Definition
n. a place or stage in a process where everything slows down because there is not enough space or time. It is like the narrow neck of a bottle that stops liquid from pouring out quickly.
n. a point of congestion or blockage in a system that stops or slows the entire flow of progress. Often used in business or traffic contexts to describe a specific stage where capacity is limited.
Examples
“The narrow bridge is a major bottleneck for morning traffic.”
“The legal department became a bottleneck because they only had one person available to sign off on all the new contracts.”
“Identifying the production bottleneck allowed the factory to increase its total output by twenty percent without hiring any additional staff.”
Examples
simple
“The narrow bridge is a major bottleneck for morning traffic.”
contextual
“The legal department became a bottleneck because they only had one person available to sign off on all the new contracts.”
complex
“Identifying the production bottleneck allowed the factory to increase its total output by twenty percent without hiring any additional staff.”
Usage
Often used metaphorically in business, computing, and logistics.
Real-World Examples
“But correctly combining high-performance materials and nanofabrication techniques has proved to be one of the primary bottlenecks slowing the technology's commercial development.” “Emergency managers can observe traffic patterns, identify bottlenecks and evaluate whether existing evacuation plans are realistic.” “Such a limited founding population usually creates a severe genetic bottleneck.” Etymology
From bottle + neck.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-1
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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