equilibrate

verb

equil·​i·​brate i-ˈkwi-lə-ˌbrāt How to pronounce equilibrate (audio)
equilibrated; equilibrating

transitive verb

: to bring into or keep in equilibrium : balance

intransitive verb

: to bring about, come to, or be in equilibrium
equilibration noun
equilibrator noun
equilibratory adjective

Examples of equilibrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The other thing is that, rather than increasing with surface area, lift tends to drop because the sheets are more likely to equilibrate to the prevailing temperatures. Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2025 Housing would equilibrate if the city had a static population. Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2025 Not allowing enough time to equilibrate The most accurate results are obtained after sitting in a low-stress environment for five minutes, Serwer noted. Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025 But in that case, wouldn’t people from low-income areas just overflow to their empty beds, and then the system would equilibrate? Renee Hsia, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 So basically, until 1980, people tended to move to where wages were highest, and wages were slowly equilibrating between regions, and since 1980, people have begun moving towards where housing costs are low instead of where wages are high. Byalena Botros, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2023 Recall that immediately upon his inauguration as president in 1981, Ronald Reagan did the exact opposite by decontrolling energy prices, allowing markets to efficiently equilibrate in response to price signals. WSJ, 25 Sep. 2022 Margins have started coming back down to average, and sign prices are following as the market begins to equilibrate. Alex Kinnier, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2022 For one thing, there is no world gas market that causes prices to equilibrate the way there is for oil—or coal, wheat, lobsters, etc. Michael Lynch, Forbes, 30 June 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of equilibrate was in 1635

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Equilibrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equilibrate. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Medical Definition

equilibrate

verb
equil·​i·​brate i-ˈkwil-ə-ˌbrāt How to pronounce equilibrate (audio)
equilibrated; equilibrating

transitive verb

: to bring into or keep in equilibrium

intransitive verb

: to bring about, come to, or be in equilibrium
equilibration noun
equilibratory adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on equilibrate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!