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 Companies that achieve this balance should come out strong on the other side. — Yossi Sheffi, WSJ, "Commentary: It’s Not Premature to Set Supply Chains for a Coronavirus Recovery," 19 Mar. 2020 Smart placement in layers balances general ambience with safe, task-specific work. — Sarah Lloyd, Good Housekeeping, "10 Kitchen Design Questions, Answered by an Expert," 18 Mar. 2020 Even conservatives who usually pay lip service to fiscal balance noted that millions of people are at risk of losing their jobs, and interest rates for federal debt are hovering near zero. — Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, "Trump signs coronavirus relief package into law, providing paid sick leave, free testing," 18 Mar. 2020 Trying to stockpile could add stress to household balances and budgets. — Olivia Goldhill, Quartz, "Coronavirus prevention is far more accessible for the rich," 16 Mar. 2020 The fund balance reserve policy has been met at nearly $4.3 million. — Beth Mlady, cleveland, "Preliminary budget talks begin in Brook Park," 16 Mar. 2020 Utilities have already been struggling with that balance. — Andy Greenberg, Wired, "High-Stakes Security Setups Are Making Remote Work Impossible," 13 Mar. 2020 There has to be a balance between protecting people’s lives and their livelihoods. — Amy Gunia, Time, "China’s Draconian Lockdown Is Getting Credit for Slowing Coronavirus. Would It Work Anywhere Else?," 13 Mar. 2020 Using this product for anything other than running may impair balance and dexterity. — Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, "I Tested the TenNine, Hoka's Craziest Shoe Yet," 12 Mar. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The sentiment is shared by Oregon’s doctors, nurses and other medical staff who are balancing their dedication to serving patients with concerns about their own safety. — oregonlive, "Frontline healthcare workers approach pandemic war with half-loaded gun," 21 Mar. 2020 Ehrenreich nestled into a wicker love seat, propping her feet up, her right arm balanced gingerly in a sling. — Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, "Barbara Ehrenreich Is Not an Optimist, but She Has Hope for the Future," 21 Mar. 2020 For parents who can't work from home, or those who are now balancing their own jobs with homeschooling their children, indefinite school closures can pose challenges. — Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, "Some schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year. Here's what to expect if it happens in your district," 18 Mar. 2020 Establishing a routine is crucial in balancing work and home life, experts say. — Laura Garcia, ExpressNews.com, "Balancing work at home and kids is a job in itself during coronavirus shutdowns," 18 Mar. 2020 Quinn also dug how even though the pop-up menus balanced the radical with the familiar. — Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, "Downtown Huntsville’s most colorful joint yet, now open," 18 Mar. 2020 This may sound like a radical demand, but bailouts for businesses that can not balance their books are regularly taken for granted in the United States in times of crisis. — Mark Engler, The New Republic, "The Case for a Social Distancing Wage," 16 Mar. 2020 Colors: Lots of high contrast combinations, bold, moody, and deep colors, balanced by softer nudes. — Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, "The Fascinating History of Art Deco Design," 16 Mar. 2020 While the beverages are pretty hemp forward, the interesting herbal notes help balance out their fruitiness. — Outside Online, "Canned Drinks Are the Newest Products for the CBD Crowd," 7 Mar. 2020

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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Last Updated

23 Mar 2020

Cite this Entry

“Balance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balance. Accessed 30 Mar. 2020.

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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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