ballast

verb

ballasted; ballasting; ballasts

transitive verb

1

: to steady or equip with or as if with ballast

They ballast the canoe with large rocks.

2

: to fill in (something, such as a railroad bed) with ballast (see ballast entry 1 sense 3)

Examples of ballast in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For those sweating at the thought of a French Open this year without the Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz rivalry to ballast the men’s draw, the Madrid Open provided a delightful counterargument. —Ava Wallace, New York Times, 4 May 2026

The levity ballasts his more weighty lines about existing while Black. —Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026

The new 14-track collection ballasts her familiar dreamy, coquettish sound with vulnerability and anguish. —Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025

The oldest rail tunnel in the world, a London Tube section dating from 1863, was completely renovated — including the complex task of changing the old-fashion ballasted track to modern direct rail fixation — using this repair-in-place approach. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

derivative of ballast entry 1

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ballast

• in ballast

Rhymes for ballast

• calloused
• callused
• dialysed
• medallist
• paralysed

Kids Definition

ballast

1 of 2 noun

bal·​last ˈbal-əst 

1

: heavy material used especially to make a ship steady or to control the rising of a balloon

2

: gravel or broken stone laid in a foundation for a railroad or used in making concrete

ballast

2 of 2 verb

: to provide with ballast