imbalance

noun

im·​bal·​ance (ˌ)im-ˈba-lən(t)s 

plural imbalances

: lack of balance : the state of being out of equilibrium or out of proportion

a structural imbalance

a chemical imbalance in the brain

"… The talks are aimed at reducing the trade imbalance … between the world`s two largest economic powers. …"

—Norah O'Donnell

A key element of the definition of bullying is a power imbalance that enables the abusive behavior.

—Patricia Vowinkel

Some have suffered an imbalance of gait known as ataxia.

—Lawrence K. Altman

imbalanced

(ˌ)im-ˈba-lən(t)st 

adjective

Examples of imbalance in a Sentence

Her depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.

the problem of racial imbalance in schools

Recent Examples on the Web

This was partly due to gender imbalance, that is having more men on the app than women, but cultural expectations also play a major role, where men are often expected to make the first move. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

The outlook isn’t good for the Kings, who have gotten older without fixing the roster imbalance that sent them careening toward play-in tournament losses each of the past two seasons. —Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025

These include celiac disease, pelvic floor dysfunction, irritable bowel syndrome, hormonal imbalances such as hypothyroidism, metabolic disorders like diabetes, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or even certain cancers. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025

What’s frustrating is that while Tom and Robbie’s dance of evasion and investigation gets more predictable, the series’ performances get richer, so Task teeter-totters on an imbalance of story and ensemble. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for imbalance

• rebalance
• unbalance
• balance
• valance
• vallance
• counterbalance
• overbalance

Kids Definition

imbalance

noun

im·​bal·​ance (ˈ)im-ˈbal-ən(t)s 

: the state of being out of balance or out of proportion

Medical Definition

imbalance

noun

im·​bal·​ance (ˈ)im-ˈbal-ən(t)s 

: lack of balance : the state of being out of equilibrium or out of proportion: as

a

: loss of parallel relation between the optical axes of the eyes caused by faulty action of the extrinsic muscles and often resulting in diplopia

b

: absence of biological equilibrium

a vitamin imbalance

if the ductus arteriosus fails to close, a circulatory imbalance results

—E. B. Steen & Ashley Montagu

c

: a disproportion between the number of males and females in a population

imbalanced

-ən(t)st 

adjective