balanced

American  

[bal-uhnst] / ˈbæl ənst /

adjective

1. fairly or equally containing a diversity of views, aspects, ingredients, activities, etc..

   The course provides a balanced program of study in painting, design, sculpture, and ceramics.

   Some newspapers provided more balanced coverage of the conflict.

2. being in harmonious or proper arrangement or adjustment, proportion, etc..

   These guidelines will help beginning photographers achieve a balanced composition in each shot.

   Synonyms:

   evenhanded, impartial, just, equitable, fair

3. (of a budget) showing enough revenue or income to cover all expenses.

   Our newly formed Finance Council will promote a balanced budget and long-range financial planning.

4. (of an investment portfolio) including investments of a variety of types or in a variety of sectors so as to maximize returns with a manageable level of risk.

   Stocks can help you achieve a balanced portfolio when combined with fixed-income investments such as bonds.

5. Football. pertaining to or noting an offensive line formation having three linemen on each side of the center.

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balanced British  

/ ˈbælənst /

adjective

1. having weight evenly distributed; being in a state of equilibrium

2. (of a person) mentally and emotionally stable

3. (of a discussion, programme, etc) presenting opposing points of view fairly and without bias

4. (of a diet) consisting of all essential nutrients in suitable form and amounts to maintain health

5. (of a budget) having expenditure no greater than income

6. electronics (of signals or circuitry) symmetrically disposed about earth or other reference potential

7. (of a chemical equation) having the correct relative number of moles of reactants and products

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Other Word Forms

• self-balanced
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of balanced

First recorded in 1585–95; balance + -ed ²

Explanation

If something is balanced, it has equal proportions or a stable sense of balance. A balanced yoga pose is one in which you're not falling over constantly. A balanced gymnast won't fall off the balance beam, and a balanced team combines players' skills to form a stable, equitable group. Balanced information in a news report gives you the opposing sides of an issue, and a balanced diet includes some food from all the different nutritional groups. Balanced comes from the verb balance, "be equal with," from the noun form of the word, with its Old French root, balance, "scales for weighing."

Example Sentences

The iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF, holding a traditional portfolio of 60% stocks and 40% bonds, has lost 6.3% since the fighting started in late February.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Last year, the Vanguard Balanced Index Fund, a proxy for the strategy, returned 13.5%.

From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026

Balanced against that, finding cancers early and treating them can save lives.

From BBC • Nov. 28, 2025

So far this year, American Balanced is up 17.6%, handily beating the typical large-cap stock fund, which has returned 15.9%, according to Morningstar.

From Barron's • Oct. 29, 2025

Balanced on the man’s palm was a camera.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

Related Words

• equitable
• fair