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.
Sullivan competed in all events for the first time this season and scored a 9.775 on the balance beam.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 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
Malabuyo represented the Philippines at the 2024 Paris Olympics and is ranked third in the nation on balance beam with a 9.925 average score across the first four meets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2025
Aimee was waiting for me over by the balance beam.
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.
