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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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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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
Charles must strike a delicate balance on this state visit. Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026 That said, a shorter mortgage term can mean larger monthly payments, thanks to the condensed timeframe (depending on how much of a mortgage balance is being refinanced). Matt Richardson, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Prioritize features like non-slip flooring, curbless showers, and layered lighting to balance style with long-term usability. Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 11 May 2026 With so many factors up in the air at present, not least the impact AI might have on the global economy, how does the CBO balance the factors that color its projections? Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for balance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for balance
Noun
  • Denver’s apartment market is out of equilibrium.
    Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
  • Struggling to balance his medication with his musical and romantic desires, Jamal’s equilibrium is rocked when Kyla moves in next door.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Cutting them up based on size, shape, or symmetry can lead to rotting and disease.
    Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
  • Put formal back into formal living rooms by aiming for symmetry with your design.
    Macie Stump, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • At scale, the petty-minded bureaucrats implementing an agenda to sanitize American history, and to erase or suppress political dissent, have committed and will continue to commit a great deal of mischief.
    Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
  • But today, some nuclear plants are being designed on a smaller scale, with new ways of storing spent fuel rods on site.
    Krisztian Elcsics, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Transfer dough to prepared pan and, using an offset spatula lightly coated with nonstick spray, spread into an even layer, working all the way to the edges.
    Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
  • When the offset bulbs are sending up stems, and there is too much competition for space and resources, the patch of bulbs will produce fewer, or smaller, flowers than before.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The Manta Sleep Mask has adjustable eye cups that create a true blackout, so cabin lights and neighboring seatback screens don’t disturb her rest.
    Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
  • Hosts, musical guests for rest of the season Who's hosting 'SNL' next week?
    Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • That statement shows the mental gymnastics that some leftists use to equate speech with violence.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
  • Ignoring Jewish religious belief, history, and culture, Sartre equated Jewish identity with legitimate fear of antisemitic violence.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • New parents often hesitate to communicate their evolving needs at work, but Lauren Smith Brody emphasizes that speaking up about flexible arrangements can enhance not only their own work-life balance but also benefit colleagues and overall company performance.
    Big Think, Big Think, 8 May 2026
  • With that possibility in mind, the Thunder didn’t hesitate to trade another of their 2026 first-round picks (and three future second-rounders) for sharpshooting guard Jared McCain, the Corona kid whose 13 second-half points Thursday were absolute backbreakers.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • If all of that stuff has to be paid for by hard campaign dollars, dollars that would be disclosed within 100 days to who?
    NBC news, NBC news, 10 May 2026
  • The annual event pays homage to the 27 million Soviet citizens who died in that war.
    Guy Faulconbridge, USA Today, 10 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Balance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balance. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

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