balance of power

American  

noun

1. a distribution and opposition of forces among nations such that no single nation is strong enough to assert its will or dominate all the others.

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balance of power British  

noun

1. the distribution of power among countries so that no one nation can seriously threaten the fundamental interests of another

2. any similar distribution of power or influence

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balance of power Cultural  

1. A state of peace that results when rival nations are equally powerful and therefore have no good reason to wage war.

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Etymology

Origin of balance of power

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

The balance of power has also radically changed.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

The balance of power among AI frontier labs is undergoing a seismic shift yet again, as OpenAI finds itself fending off challengers in a race that it once dominated alone.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026

The times are vastly different, but the balance of power between these married writers remains precarious.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

Elsewhere in the document, reflecting on the "balance of power", it states: "The outsized influence of larger, richer, and stronger nations is a timeless truth of international relations."

From BBC • Jan. 9, 2026

We were in the middle of this little power struggle when another gallery officer appeared from downstairs and shifted the balance of power to my favor.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover