balance beam
Americannoun
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a narrow wooden rail about 16 feet (5 meters) long and 4 inches (10 centimeters) wide, set horizontally on upright posts about 4 feet (1.2 meters) from the floor, used for performing feats of balancing and demonstrating gymnastic ability.
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a competitive gymnastic event for women in which such an apparatus is used.
Etymology
Origin of balance beam
First recorded in 1945–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After sustaining a foot injury on her balance beam routine during a quad meet on Feb. 27 against Maryland, Ohio State and Iowa, Katelyn Rosen was sidelined for the rest of the competition.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026
Former Pac-12 rivals Utah battled rare-shaky performances on balance beam — including a fall from All-American Grace McCallum — while Missouri never threatened second place, only recording five 9.9 or higher scores during the meet.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2025
In exhibition routines, Rosen scored 9.8 or higher in balance beam, uneven bars and floor exercise.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2025
During the rotation, Campbell paced near the balance beam, receiving pep talks from assistant coach Lacy Dagen as she awaited Rosen’s score.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2025
The only bonding our coaches intended on us doing was with the vault table, the uneven bars, the balance beam, and the training floor.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
