balance

noun

bal·​ance ˈba-lən(t)s 

1

a

: physical equilibrium

I had trouble keeping my balance on the sailboat.

lost his balance and fell

a boxer kept off balance for a whole round

Another skater bumped him and knocked/threw him off balance.

b

: the ability to retain one's balance

Maintaining one's flexibility and balance are important as one ages.

Gymnasts must have a good sense of balance.

2

: mental and emotional steadiness

The sudden change in the schedule knocked him off balance.

3

a

: 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

sauce with a perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors

trying to achieve a better balance between work and family life

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

4

a

: 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")

5

a

accounting : an amount in excess

There is a balance due and payable.

especially : an amount in excess 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

We planned to stay there for the balance of the summer.

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 counterbalancing weight, force, or influence

The comedic character serves as a balance to the serious subject matter of the play.

8

: an oscillating wheel operating with a hairspring to regulate the movement of a timepiece

a watch's balance

see also:

in the balance on balance

Synonyms of balance

• equilibrium

Examples of balance in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

This spacious hotel has just the right balance of superb terroir cuisine, atmosphere, comfort ,and service that sets it apart from the other smaller Provence hotels in the region. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026

The dialysis unit’s pumps push the blood through the cartridge, while its sensors balance fluid, watch circuit pressures for safety, and automatically meter the anticoagulant that keeps the blood from clotting along the way. —Elie Dolgin, IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2026

Enforcement of inappropriate corner crossing will continue to be difficult for FWP, but Callaghan notes that enforcement is only one part of the relationship balance that FWP Director Clark noted between private property rights and public-access rights. —Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026

State and local governments trying to strike a balance between looking forward and securing jobs in construction while weighing constituents' concerns about energy, infrastructure, environmental and labor impacts. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *bilancia, from Late Latin bilanc-, bilanx having two scalepans, from Latin bi- + lanc-, lanx plate

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Phrases Containing balance

• balance a/the budget
• balance beam
• balance of payments
• balance of power
• balance of trade
• balance out
• balance sheet
• balance wheel
• in balance
• in the balance
• lose one's balance
• nitrogen balance
• on balance
• platform balance
• redress the balance
• shift/tip/tilt the balance of power
• strike a balance
• swing the balance
• the balance
• tip the balance
• trial balance
• water balance

Rhymes for balance

• valance
• vallance
• counterbalance
• overbalance
• imbalance
• rebalance
• unbalance

Kids Definition

balance

1 of 2 noun

bal·​ance ˈbal-ən(t)s 

1

: an instrument used for measuring mass or weight

2

: a counterbalancing weight, force, or influence

3

: a vibrating wheel operating with a hairspring to regulate the mechanical motions of a timepiece

4

: a condition in which opposing forces are equal to each other

5

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

6

: an orderly and artistic arrangement of elements that is pleasing : harmony

7

a

: something left over : remainder

b

: the amount by which one side of an account is greater than the other

a balance of $10 on the credit side

8

: mental and emotional steadiness

9

: the maintenance (as in a natural habitat) of a population in about the same condition and numbers

balance

2 of 2 verb

balanced; balancing

1

: to figure out the difference between the debits and credits of an account

balanced her checkbook

2

a

: to arrange so that one set of elements exactly equals another

balance an equation

b

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

3

a

: counterbalance entry 2, offset

b

: to equal or make equal in weight, number, or proportion

balanced the powers of the three branches of government

4

: to weigh against one another : compare

5

: to bring or come to a state or position of balance

balancer noun

Medical Definition

balance

noun

bal·​ance ˈbal-ən(t)s 

1

: an instrument for weighing

2

: mental and emotional steadiness

3

a

: 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