balance beam
Americannoun
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balance beams
plural
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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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
One skipped along the balance beam like Simone Biles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
During the third rotation, the Bruins moved to the balance beam, an event they struggled with during their third place finish in Utah last week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2026
Oklahoma scored a 49.615 on balance beam, an event in which it is ranked No. 1 nationally.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2025
The Bruins needed their best on balance beam to advance to nationals, entering the final rotation just .250 ahead of Denver.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2025
Yin Lan-lan jumped up from the balance beam and roared at me.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
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