balance sheet

American  

noun

Accounting.

1. a tabular statement of both sides of a set of accounts in which the debit and credit balances add up as equal.

2. a statement of the financial position of a business on a specified date.

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balance sheet British  

noun

1. a statement that shows the financial position of a business enterprise at a specified date by listing the asset balances and the claims on such assets

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balance sheet Cultural  

1. An orderly account of the assets of a company or individual and of the financial claims on those assets by others.

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Etymology

Origin of balance sheet

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

“The Fed has been expanding its balance sheet since December to build bank reserves in the system to absorb this temporary loss of reserves.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

This reflects a broader European tilt away from guarantees, which are less entrenched than in the U.S. annuity market, where insurers carry heavier balance sheet risk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

A major debt restructuring, that gave a non-cash boost to the bottom line, and helped the company’s balance sheet, came at a huge cost to shareholders.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 12, 2026

The growth figures play a large role in the administration’s expectations for its balance sheet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

There was no real reason that company had to be AIG; it could have been any triple-A-rated entity with a huge balance sheet.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis