a situation in which different things exist in equal, correct or good amounts
This newspaper maintains a good balance in its presentation of different opinions.
Tourists often disturb the delicate balance of nature on the island.
His wife's death disturbed the balance of his mind.
balance between A and B Try to keep a balance between work and relaxation.
in balance It is important to keep the different aspects of your life in balance.
the ability to keep steady with an equal amount of weight on each side of the body
Athletes need a good sense of balance.
I struggled to keep my balance on my new skates.
She cycled round the corner, lost her balance and fell off.
the amount that is left after taking numbers or money away from a total
to check your bank balance (= to find out how much money there is in your account)
Consider a balance transfer to a credit card with a lower rate of interest (= = moving the amount owed from one card to another).
an amount of money still owed after some payment has been made
The balance of $500 must be paid within 90 days.
I'll pay the balance later.
The final balance is due six weeks before departure.
the largest part of a group or an amount; the position of advantage or attention
The balance of opinion was that work was more important than leisure.
The balance has now shifted from the unions to employers.
an instrument for weighing things, with a bar that is supported in the middle and has dishes hanging from each end
(considering) the evidence on both sides of an argument, to find the most likely reason for or result of something
The balance of evidence suggests the Liberal party's decline began before the First World War.
The coroner thought that on the balance of probabilities, the pilot had suffered a stroke just before the crash.
if the future of something/somebody, or the result of something is/hangs in the balance, it is not certain
The long-term future of the space programme hangs in the balance.
Tom’s life hung in the balance for two weeks as he lay in a coma.
to make somebody unsteady and in danger of falling
I was thrown off balance by the sudden gust of wind.
The sudden movement threw him off balance.
to make somebody surprised and no longer calm
The senator was clearly caught off balance by the unexpected question.
after considering all the information
On balance, the company has had a successful year.
to make a situation equal or fair again
For years poorer children have had to put up with a lower quality education, and now is the time to redress the balance.
to manage to find a way of being fair to two things that are opposed to each other; to find an acceptable position that is between two things
We need to strike a balance between these conflicting interests.
to affect the result of something in one way rather than another
In an interview, smart presentation can tip the balance in your favour.
New evidence tipped the balance against the prosecution.
to put your body or something else into a position where it is steady and does not fall
balance on something How long can you balance on one leg?
balance something on something The television was precariously balanced on top of a pile of books.
She balanced the cup on her knee.
He balanced the glasses carefully on the tray.
to give equal importance to two things or parts of something which are very different
She tries to balance the needs of her children with those of her employer.
The song perfectly balances melody and rhythm.
to be equal in value, amount, etc. to something else that has the opposite effect
balance out The good and bad effects of any decision will usually balance out.
balance something out This year's profits will balance out our previous losses.
be balanced by something His lack of experience was balanced by a willingness to learn.
to compare the relative importance of two things which are different
The cost of obtaining legal advice needs to be balanced against its benefits.
We have to balance the risks of the new strategy against the possible benefits.
to manage finances so that the money spent is equal to the money received; to show this in the accounts
In order to balance the budget severe spending cuts had to be made.
The law requires the council to balance its books each year.
(of an account) to have an equal amount of money spent and money received
I tried to work out why the books wouldn't balance.
