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
They’re ostensibly meant to set the tone for negotiation and eventually improve the US trade balance. Tracy Alloway, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026 Not only are hospital CEOs paid obscene amounts of money and the hospitals are sitting on fat cash balances, but NewYork–Presbyterian is guilty of something even more grotesque. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
Unsweetened baking chocolate is great in recipes designed to have a rich chocolate flavor and contain enough sugar to balance it out, like in delicious fudgy brownies. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026 All indications are the Heat would be allowed to include his salary in a trade as a cap-balancing mechanism, with Rozier remaining on NBA leave. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for balance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balance
Noun
  • These familiar crystals exist in thermal equilibrium, maintaining their structure without energy input.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
  • After the system reaches equilibrium, the programmers can read the solution in the new configuration of the resonators.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Its clear lines and symmetry stood out and kept viewers' attention.
    Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • According to the researchers, the symmetry improves crawling performance, simplifies multi-object planning, and reduces the need for complex motions, enabling faster, more efficient manipulation compared to traditional robotic or human-like hands.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Finally a trial of about a year, similar to a drug’s Phase 3 stage, is conducted to demonstrate safety and effectiveness at a larger scale.
    Ana Castelain, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
  • The same neural network controls motions ranging from millimeter-scale finger movements to room-scale locomotion, sequencing more than 60 actions with implicit error recovery over minutes of execution.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 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
  • My heart is then nearer to the dust, and to endless rest.
    Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Research supports that neutrals provide a psychological anchor, a visual rest for the psyche.
    R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The executive who grew up on the streets of Detroit watching his dad drag race equated the current situation to that of a station wagon and enthusiasts.
    Joel Feder, The Drive, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Without institutional support, parents are left with a narrative of drudgery—one that equates children with the loss of time, money, and opportunity.
    Lauren Hilgers, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • In normal times, leaders might hesitate to impose that kind of moral weight on employees already living through the hardships of a global crisis.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Older workers face forced plateaus as organizations hesitate to invest in workers over 50, assuming their time is limited, minds are dulling, and retirement is imminent.
    Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
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 2 Feb. 2026.

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