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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Recent Examples of ballasts
Other items from the ship, including the ballasts that served as counterweights for the human cargo, are remaining on display and will be returned to South Africa in two years.
—
Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
Other items from the ship, including the ballasts that served as counterweights for the human cargo, are remaining on display and will be returned to South Africa in two years.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Have bricks or river rocks concealed out of sight and ready to use as ballasts to hold the cloth in place against winds.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2026
Cheaper options or knock-offs tend to come with flimsy sockets, buzzing ballasts, or unreliable switches, which can make rooms look cheap or dated far sooner than expected and even create fire hazards.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
Other items from the ship, including the ballasts that served as counterweights for the human cargo, are remaining on display and will be returned to South Africa in two years.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
Have bricks or river rocks concealed out of sight and ready to use as ballasts to hold the cloth in place against winds.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2026
Cheaper options or knock-offs tend to come with flimsy sockets, buzzing ballasts, or unreliable switches, which can make rooms look cheap or dated far sooner than expected and even create fire hazards.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballasts
Noun
-
Since February, the carbon removal company Inherit has been delivering CO2 cargoes from the facility to Northern Lights as part of a pilot project.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Some countries, however, are finding ways to get cargoes through the corridor.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These can be made to adapt to various movements (for example, lifting very heavy loads).—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The elevator to it is fortified for heavy loads.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Across multiple designs and operating conditions, CNTF heaters consistently achieved higher specific power loadings than comparable metal-alloy elements.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Saudi Arabia has increased crude loadings in recent weeks, and strategic petroleum reserves held by major consuming nations like China, could provide some temporary cushioning to the market, Rystad Energy said in a note Sunday.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Also flying were payloads for Astranis Space Technologies and Gravity Space headed for geostationary orbits.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
-
As satellite constellations multiply and Earth-observation payloads become more data-hungry, the balance between the two is shifting.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Remove from the oven and lift out the weights and the foil.—
Georgeanne Brennan,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
People feel different weights and tides in life.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Regulatory burdens, slow permitting and slow inspections all disincentivize new construction by making building more costly and less financially viable.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Its proponents claim that the administrative burdens placed on everything from housing to energy infrastructure, once considered checks on the excesses of untrammeled capitalism, now serve primarily to impede progress.—
Gaby Del Valle,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Dolphins’ last two drafts showed a good deal of focus on the trenches.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Both Burries and Acuff are projected NBA lottery picks in most mock drafts with the latter possibly becoming a top-five selection this upcoming offseason.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ballasts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballasts. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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