ballasts

plural of ballast
as in cargoes
heavy material (such as rocks or water) that is put on a ship to make it steady or on a balloon to control its height in the air
often used figuratively
A large amount of ballast kept the boat from capsizing. She provided the ballast the family needed in times of stress.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballasts
Noun
  • Designer Hillary Taymour sent voluminous denim cargos with peplum at the waist down the runway.
    Footwear News, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Not long before Oprah showed off her brown cargos, Gwyneth Paltrow wore a navy blue pair with a cropped trench coat.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The extra-large dryer fits large loads and can handle multiple blankets.
    Christopher Murray may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The fourth-generation model (and third Spyder overall) is a true speed machine, combining more aggressive styling with loads of power.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • However, arms control agreements limit current loadings to four or five.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Large payloads and full reusability drastically reduce the cost of moving people and equipment.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The vehicle also deployed some payloads — eight dummy versions of SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which were released on the same suborbital trajectory as that of Ship.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • To measure the centre of gravity of the submarine, 16 tonnes of lead weights are brought on board and moved side-to-side.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Such incidents could potentially occur due to things such as an error in calculating the takeoff weights or a faulty maneuver by the pilots, as well, Corriere della Sera noted.
    Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This speed allows for higher research throughput while reducing ethical and financial burdens.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Some of these changemakers work to raise awareness of the mental health burdens of the illness, others elevate standards of care for pregnant people, and still others try to bring essential resources to countries with limited health-care availability.
    Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Chooka Waterproof Chelsea Rain Boots The popular rain boots are made from high-quality rubber and have an airtight seal that keeps out drafts and moisture.
    Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The utility is in the middle of writing its next Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which is a long-term guide map for energy generation, and the drafts show the utility heading in a new direction.
    Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 14 Oct. 2025
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.

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“Ballasts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballasts. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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