stabilizer

American  

[stey-buh-lahy-zer] / ˈsteɪ bəˌlaɪ zər /

noun

• stabilizers
  plural

1. a person or thing that stabilizes.

2. Aeronautics. a device for stabilizing an aircraft, as the fixed, horizontal tail surface on an airplane.

3. Nautical.

   1. a mechanical device for counteracting the roll of a vessel, consisting of a pair of retractable fins so pivoted as to oppose a downward force with an upward one, and vice versa.

   2. a gyrostabilizer.

4. any of various substances added to foods, chemical compounds, etc., to prevent deterioration, the breaking down of an emulsion, or the loss of desirable properties.

5. any compound that, when included with an explosive, decreases the ability of the latter to decompose spontaneously.

6. a substance, as beeswax or aluminum stearate, added to a fast-drying oil paint to improve the dispersion of pigment.

7. a comparatively large shock absorber for motor vehicles.

8. Military.

   1. any of various devices or systems that keep a gun mounted on a moving ship, tank, or plane automatically aimed at its target.

   2. any of various mechanical devices, such as fins, or electronic systems that keep a shell, bomb, rocket, etc., aligned with its target.

9. Navy. any of various devices or systems used to keep a submarine or a torpedo at the proper depth or in the proper position.

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stabilizer British  

/ ˈsteɪbɪˌlaɪzə /

noun

1. any device for stabilizing an aircraft See also horizontal stabilizer vertical stabilizer

2. a substance added to something to maintain it in a stable or unchanging state, such as an additive to food to preserve its texture during distribution and storage

3. nautical

   1. a system of one or more pairs of fins projecting from the hull of a ship and controllable to counteract roll

   2. See gyrostabilizer

4. either of a pair of brackets supporting a small wheel that can be fitted to the back wheel of a bicycle to help an inexperienced cyclist to maintain balance

5. an electronic device for producing a direct current supply of constant voltage

6. economics a measure, such as progressive taxation, interest-rate control, or unemployment benefit, used to restrict swings in prices, employment, production, etc, in a free economy

7. a person or thing that stabilizes

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• stabilizers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stabilizer

First recorded in 1905–10; stabilize + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stabilizer stabilizers

A Smithsonian Institution lab found that a flock of Brant and Canada geese “impacted” the rotor blades and the horizontal stabilizer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

By facilitating dialogue with Taipei’s opposition while mediating the Iran crisis, Beijing is attempting to position itself as a responsible regional stabilizer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

Two are mounted under the wings, and a third is built into the tail at the base of the vertical stabilizer.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2025

He used a Sony A7 camera supported by a Ronin stabilizer, which he estimates weighs about 12 pounds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2025

“Oh, yeah. We should reach the Mediterranean tomorrow morning. Then spend the rest of that day sailing to Rome, or flying, if I can get the stabilizer fixed by then....”

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Often, they’re processed with emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, stabilizers and other additives.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 23, 2026

"These are commonly used as heat stabilizers in PVC and have been linked with skin irritation, which is a common complaint among hair extension users."

From Science Daily ● Feb. 19, 2026

As China policymakers search for stabilizers to offset property-sector weakness and sluggish high-tier consumption, the lower-tier growth story offers a different angle: not a dramatic rebound, but a slower-burning simmer that may provide structural ballast.

From Barron's ● Nov. 15, 2025

They’re industrially processed, built with emulsifiers, stabilizers and preservatives you couldn’t buy at a supermarket, let alone cook with at home.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2025

“I can turn, or we can take off. The stabilizers are working again. But I need to know quick—” “We have to keep going,” Annabeth said.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• mediator
• referee