balance 1 of 2

Definition of balancenext
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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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
These are drinks with structure and bite, made with the same balance and care as the boozy stuff, minus the hangover and the morning-after regret. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 6 Jan. 2026 Most adults know, pragmatically, that this balance is often absent. Michael Isaacson, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
If Johnston heeds that warning, the mayor will likely have to find a proposal that balances workers’ need for a living wage with the desire to attract businesses to the city core in order to find enough council support to pass the legislation. Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025 First-generation students make up a growing share, often balancing multiple obligations while pursuing a credential. Yolanda Watson Spiva, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for balance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balance
Noun
  • No stable equilibrium would be arrived at easily.
    Comfort Ero, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Cramer warned that these moments can feel chaotic — even irrational — but are often driven by valuation extremes finally snapping back toward equilibrium.
    Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Because there is a kind of symmetry to this.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The beloved style is characterized by jewel tones, chrome finishes, velvet fabrics, perfect symmetries, and, most importantly, a strong sense of glamor.
    Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • The solution targets coastal erosion, flooding, and structural instability while addressing plastic waste at scale.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Known since the late 1980s for using erasure as a concept, Simmons extends his practice here into an architectural scale, transforming the main gallery into a vast blackboard environment where images emerge, blur, and refuse to fully disappear.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Houses have been being built here since the early 1900s, and so there's different offsets.
    Ted Scouten, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Top with half of the Nutella, swirling it into the batter with a small offset spatula or a butter knife.
    Midwest Living, Midwest Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Plant dormancy is a type of physiological rest.
    Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
  • On Thursday, tight end Hunter Henry (rest), right tackle (Morgan Moses (illness) and linebacker Robert Spillane (ankle) were all upgraded to full participation.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • This equates about one in 10 jobs.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Challenger equated the impact of AI on the current labor market to the rise of the internet in the early aughts.
    Steve Kopack, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • But Maye doesn’t hesitate to break the pocket and scramble towards daylight when things break down.
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Many people like the idea of innovation but hesitate to share the road with fully autonomous vehicles.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • This means any unpaid amount, whether utilities or other charges, can make an account delinquent because it must be paid at the same time as rent.
    Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Planting a vineyard in the Bay Area can cost between $30,000 and $80,000 per acre, but some are choosing to just leave them sit rather than pay to maintain them.
    John Ramos, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Balance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balance. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.

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