balance 1 of 2

1
2
3
as in scale
a device for measuring weight use a balance to make sure you get the amounts precisely correct

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4
as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective the balance to the mountain of complaints are the many letters of praise that we also receive

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5

balance

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to equate
to make equal in amount, degree, or status tried to balance the total amount of money spent on gifts for each child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to pay
to give what is owed for she had to balance her account with the hotel before checking out of her room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of balance
Noun
Throw them on with a matching set for errands, or dress them up a bit with jeans and a blazer for that comfy-but-polished balance. Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025 Zeagoo Long-sleeve Button-down Shirt Every closet needs a crisp button-down, and this one balances classic tailoring with endless versatility. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
To fix these problems, smart grid systems now use advanced energy management tools to balance power loads in real time. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025 This gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan tablet is also supercharged with L-theanine, another stress-balancing adaptogen, for total relaxation amidst the most turbulent of days. Brianna Peters, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for balance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balance
Noun
  • This careful equilibrium is so seamless that most people don’t think about it until something goes wrong.
    Aimee Pugh Bernard, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Of course, this requires an incredible sense of equilibrium in the vineyard, including pinpointing when the grapes have reached full ripeness while still retaining a very high level of acidity, leaving a very small window for picking.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Only true believers could expect such blissful symmetry.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Create harmony in a small bedroom by leaning into symmetry.
    Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • These numbers underscore both the scale of the problem and the critical importance of this collaboration.
    Summer Stephan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Oct. 2025
  • While many governments defended Israel's initial right to respond to the attack, the scale of civilian death and suffering wrought by its war have drawn increasing international condemnation and isolation for the Jewish state.
    Alexander Smith, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • And past models failed to consider cost offsets from recovering valuable isotopes for medical, industrial, and space applications.
    Kathryn Huff, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Use an offset spatula to spread the batter in an even layer, completely covering the fruit.
    Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Later bedtimes, co-sleeping, and room sharing—practices more common in some Latino households—may affect both sleep duration and how parents perceive their children’s rest.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Instead, listen to your skin, alternate between exfoliation and hydration, and give your skin rest time to recover.
    Essence, Essence, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As stewards of the organization, directors often equate tradition with stability—especially when pressure and stakes are high.
    Lara Abrash, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
  • For a culture like ours, which so closely equates value with productivity, this disruption poses an existential threat as much as an economic one.
    Jane Marie Chen, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Because life—even for us jaded adults—should be for the seizing, not for hesitating in the face of fear.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Upon receiving the handoff, Pacheco hesitated for a beat before faking left, juking right and breaking a tackle on the way to his longest rush of the season — a 16-yard gain on a drive that ended in a Kansas City touchdown.
    Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • One suggested paying for outside services, such as privatized tutoring.
    Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Most other federal workers, however, do not get paid, even if they are deemed essential and required to work.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Balance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balance. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

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