# bottleneck

/ˈbɑtəɫˌnɛk/ (US) · /bˈɒtəlnˌɛk/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bottleneck
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Often used metaphorically in business, computing, and logistics.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.