balance

bal·ance | \ ˈba-lən(t)s

Definition of balance

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : physical equilibrium trouble keeping your balance on a sailboat lost his balance and fell a boxer kept off balance for a whole round

b : the ability to retain one's balance Gymnasts must have a good sense of balance.

2a : stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis when the two sides of the scale are in balance tipped the statue off balance

b : equipoise between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements … the balance we strike between security and freedom.— Earl Warren Both parties were interviewed to provide balance in the report. the right balance of diet and exercise

c accounting : equality between the totals of the two sides of an account

3a : an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements achieving balance in a work of art

b grammar : the juxtaposition in writing of syntactically parallel (see parallel entry 1 sense 3c) constructions containing similar or contrasting ideas (such as "to err is human; to forgive, divine")

4a accounting : an amount in excess especially on the credit side of an account has a comfortable balance in the bank You must maintain a minimum balance of $1000 in your account to avoid fees.

b : weight or force of one side in excess of another The balance of the evidence lay on the side of the defendant.

c : something left over : remainder answers will be given in the balance of this chapter— R. W. Murray

5 : mental and emotional steadiness I doubt that Thoreau would be thrown off balance by the fantastic sights and sounds of the 20th century.— E. B. White

6 : an instrument for weighing: such as

a : a beam that is supported freely in the center and has two pans of equal weight suspended from its ends

b : a device that uses the elasticity of a spiral spring for measuring weight or force

7 : a means of judging or deciding the balance of a free election

8 : a counterbalancing weight, force, or influence The comedic character serves as a balance to the serious subject matter of the play.

9 : an oscillating wheel operating with a hairspring to regulate the movement of a timepiece a watch's balance

in the balance or in balance

: with the fate or outcome about to be determined our future hangs in the balance as we await his decision

on balance

: with all things considered the meeting went well on balance

balance

verb

balanced; balancing

Definition of balance (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to poise or arrange in or as if in balance balancing a book on her head The legislature hasn't balanced the budget in years.

b : to bring into harmony or proportion I struggled to balance my career and family life. a balanced diet

c : to bring to a state or position of balance (see balance entry 1 sense 2) balanced the scales by adding a little more on one side

2a(1) accounting : to compute the difference between the debits and credits of (an account) balancing a company's books

(2) : to pay the amount due on : settle sent a check to balance her account

b(1) : to arrange so that one set of elements exactly equals another balance a mathematical equation

(2) chemistry : to complete (a chemical equation) so that the same number of atoms and electric charges of each kind appears on each side

3a : counterbalance, offset He served black coffee to help balance out the sweetness of the dessert. balance one consideration against another

b : to equal or equalize in weight, number, or proportion The good times balanced the bad times.

4 : to weigh in or as if in a balance (see balance entry 1 sense 6) balance the profit and loss to see what had been gained

intransitive verb

1 : to become balanced or established in balance Try balancing on one foot. The good times and bad times balanced out.

2 : to be an equal counterbalance —often used with outHis speed will likely balance out his competitor's greater strength.The discount and the shipping charge balance each other out.

3 : waver sense 1 balances and temporizes on matters that demand action

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about balance

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Examples of balance in a Sentence

Noun She had trouble keeping her balance as the boat rocked back and forth. The skater suddenly lost his balance and fell. Another skater bumped into him and knocked him off balance. Gymnasts need flexibility and balance. She has a good sense of balance. To provide balance in her news story, she interviewed members of both political parties. Temperature changes could upset the delicate balance of life in the forest. To lose weight you need the proper balance of diet and exercise. The food had a perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors. It's important to keep your life in balance. Verb I find it difficult to balance on one foot. He had trouble balancing on his skis. He helped his daughter balance on her bicycle before she started peddling. The legislature is still trying to balance the state's budget. He balances his checkbook every month. Something's wrong: the books don't balance.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Deoxygenation also allows certain species to thrive at the expense of many other marine mammals, throwing ocean ecosystems off balance. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "The World’s Oceans Are Being Starved of Oxygen," 10 Dec. 2019 Hit a game-winning buzzer-beating, off-balance shot in the sectional semifinals in 2011. — Christopher Kuhagen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Our top 100 high school athletes from 2010-19 in southeast Wisconsin," 10 Dec. 2019 Under the veil of two strong mixed drinks, the intersection of these spaces almost seemed funny, but what wasn’t funny was Emira’s current bank balance: a total of seventy-nine dollars and sixteen cents. — Teen Vogue, "An Excerpt from Kiley Reid's "Such a Fun Age"," 10 Dec. 2019 King was living in the Panthers’ backfield, notching two early sacks to get their offense off balance. — Akeem Glaspie, Indianapolis Star, "Indiana high school football semistate roundup: Who's going to state championship game," 23 Nov. 2019 Try not to spend more than your budget allows, pay off the balance each month and make the rewards system work for you. — Kim Porter, USA TODAY, "The best credit cards for paying your bills," 19 Nov. 2019 Slomka’s tally came after UMass quarterback Andrew Brito was pressured heavily by Army nose tackle Kwabena Bonsu and Ryan Velez intercepted his off-balance pass near the UMass 30 and returned it 16 yards. — BostonGlobe.com, "WEST POINT, N.Y. — Army said goodbye to that losing streak in a big way.," 10 Nov. 2019 All worked to frame the story in unique ways that also kept the viewer off balance just enough to keep things interesting. — Dalton Ross, EW.com, "The Walking Dead is having a creative renaissance," 6 Nov. 2019 As with so many things medical, the right solution is all about finding the proper balance between cost and benefits. — Time, "How Asthma Inhalers Are Choking the Planet," 5 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The company keeps the packages simple in order to balance supply with demand. — William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, "Tailgate Guys has been throwing pigskin parties for 10 years," 29 Nov. 2019 The key to a good thum is to balance the competing flavors, adjusting to personal preference, Souvannarinh explained. — Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, azcentral, "From thum kao poon to turkey: How past meets present at one family's Thanksgiving table," 27 Nov. 2019 Friends say Kelsey was struggling to balance the baby, her job and a long commute. — CBS News, "Patrick Frazee sentenced: Colorado mom Kelsey Berreth gets justice a year after Thanksgiving Day killing," 23 Nov. 2019 Research has shown that one of the most effective ways to increase student achievement is to balance the levels of poverty in schools. — Liz Bowie, baltimoresun.com, "Howard County school board is poised to approve contentious redistricting plan. Here’s what you need to know.," 20 Nov. 2019 Since New York passed its law, Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, has been outspoken about the need to balance justice for victims with justice for the accused. — USA Today, "Most priests accused of sexually abusing children were never sent to prison. Here's why," 12 Nov. 2019 Meanwhile, John Stones is nearing full fitness after his own injury layoff, as Guardiola tries to balance the busy fixture schedule his side face. — SI.com, "Manchester City Handed Defensive Injury Boost Ahead of Second Successive Southampton Clash," 31 Oct. 2019 As the council addresses those looming issues, Nickerson advised the next council chair to balance the sometimes-contradictory pulls of local services, local schools and the residential tax burden. — Emily Brindley, courant.com, "Farmington town council candidates focus on high school renovation, community input," 31 Oct. 2019 Effectively, dance artists are expected to balance their ambition to reach wide audiences with a counterintuitive commitment to remain underground, where they are perceived to be more artistically genuine. — Zel Mccarthy, Billboard, "Batten Down the Hatches: Darude's 'Sandstorm' Just Turned 20," 30 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'balance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near balance

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Last Updated

15 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Balance.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balance. Accessed 15 December 2019.

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More Definitions for balance

balance

noun

English Language Learners Definition of balance

(Entry 1 of 2)

: the state of having your weight spread equally so that you do not fall

: the ability to move or to remain in a position without losing control or falling

: a state in which different things occur in equal or proper amounts or have an equal or proper amount of importance

balance

verb

English Language Learners Definition of balance (Entry 2 of 2)

: to make (something, such as a plate or your body) steady by keeping weight equal on all sides

: to adjust (an account or budget) so that the amount of money available is more than or equal to the amount of money that has been spent

: to check and make adjustments to financial records so that they are accurate

See the full definition for balance in the English Language Learners Dictionary

balance

noun

bal·ance | \ ˈba-ləns

Kids Definition of balance

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a steady position or condition The gymnast kept her balance.

2 : something left over : remainder He spent the balance of his allowance.

3 : an instrument for weighing

4 : a state in which things occur in equal or proper amounts a balance of work and fun

5 : the amount of money in a bank account

6 : an amount of money still owed

balance

verb

balanced; balancing

Kids Definition of balance (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to make or keep steady : keep from falling … their slippery … forefeet did not allow them to balance there.— Dick King-Smith, Pigs Might Fly

2 : to make the two sides of (an account) add up to the same total

3 : to be or make equal in weight, number, or amount You must balance your schoolwork and outside activities.

balance

noun

bal·ance | \ ˈbal-ən(t)s

Medical Definition of balance

1 : an instrument for weighing

2 : mental and emotional steadiness

3a : the relation in physiology between the intake of a particular substance and its excretion —used with positive when the intake of a substance is greater than the body's excretion of it and with negative when the intake of a substance is less than the body's excretion of it — see nitrogen balance, water balance

b : the maintenance (as in laboratory cultures) of a population at about the same condition and level

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