balance beam

noun

1

: a narrow wooden beam supported in a horizontal position approximately four feet above the floor and used for balancing feats in gymnastics

2

: an event in gymnastics competition in which the balance beam is used

Examples of balance beam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And the challenge itself was a very physical one, forcing contestants to swim out from the beach and race over a series of outrigger canoes, floating platforms, and balance beams, and then dive down and retrieve three flags that then needed to be brought all the way back one at a time. —EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Winter Cup Champion Ashlee Sullivan clinched the title on balance beam while Reese Esponda tumbled to gold on floor. —Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025

Kerr kept that volunteer job — coaching balance beam and helping Oklahoma win three NCAA titles — for about six years before the NCAA changed rules to allow volunteer assistant positions to be converted into full-time, paid positions. —Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025

One side has markings that guide where to place your hands and feet for cartwheels, while the other side has a long strip to help practice balance beam routines. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for balance beam

• seriatim
• abeam
• airstream
• bloodstream
• daydream
• downstream
• esteem
• extreme
• grapheme
• hakim
• hornbeam
• lexeme

Kids Definition

balance beam

noun

: a narrow wooden beam supported in a horizontal position above the floor and used for balancing feats in gymnastics