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
Federal officials recently launched a prize competition to reward ideas for controlling the flow of aquatic species into and out of the ballasts of boats that travel among the various lakes and waterways across the United States.
—
Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 7 May 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.
—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
Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 7 May 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.
—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
-
Many tankers have been diverted to pick up cargoes elsewhere, and crossing oceans to get back to the Mideast can take weeks.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
-
Look for a pair with rich texture, like snakeskin, woven leather, or crocodile print, to dress up a pair of light-wash cargos.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
As one of Montana’s longest standing dude ranches, the property is constantly reimagining through refined design, a wildly impressive staff, and heaps of annual events bringing loads of travelers, from local to first-time ranchers alike.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
-
At Cattlemen’s, still newish from its $3 million remodeling, the menu leads with a 2-pound porterhouse ($95) and loads of Western steakhouse character.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Observable loadings have declined since the blockade, although the data can be difficult to interpret and often shows up on a delay.—
Anthony Di Paola,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
Windward said more than two dozen tankers are confined west of Hormuz as of Wednesday, with the blockade cutting Iranian oil loadings and exports by more than half.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The platform isn't designed to fly human passengers; it's geared toward the support of research or other payloads that require retrieval after a stint in space, such as pharmaceuticals and other products of orbital manufacturing.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
22 June 2026
-
The company is targeting uncrewed cargo flights as early as 2028, with Tesla’s Optimus robots potentially among the first payloads.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
Holding light weights in your hands, place one foot on the box and press through your midfoot, extending your hip, and meet your front foot at the top.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
18 June 2026
-
The other shift is toward heavier weights.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
The pair defended the measure’s stricter voting thresholds as a necessary check on government power, asserting that taxpayers deserve the ultimate say at the ballot box before taking on new financial burdens.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
-
The company also changed its products in response to environmental burdens.—
Monica Sanders,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Some mock drafts and predictions have him being selected near the end of Round 1.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
21 June 2026
-
As Spielberg explained to Ain't It Cool in 2011, Shaw helped shape and trim it down after a few drafts of the speech were penned by writer Howard Sackler and filmmaker John Milius.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ballasts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballasts. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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