off-balance
adjective (or adverb)To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of off-balance
1 : not well proportioned : out of balance
the plans are off-balance their military is off-balance
2 : not standing, sitting, or resting in normal physical equilibrium
caught off-balance and knocked down— Jack Dempsey
3a : upset from or in a state of being upset by confusion : upsetting the off-balance presentation of alternatives— S. L. Payne keep us off-balance
b : into a state of surprise from the unexpected
may turn us momentarily off-balance by saying one thing when he means another— R. B. West
Comments on off-balance
What made you want to look up off-balance? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
More Confusing Words—Quiz
- The magician
______moved the selected card to the top of the deck.
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- More Confusing Words—Quiz
How many of these commonly confused words do you know?
Take the quiz - Name that Thing: Toys and Games Edition
It's all fun and games until someone beats your high score.
Take the quiz - Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Bee Cubed
Listen to the words and spell through all three levels.
Play the game
Share off-balance