equilibrium

American  

[ee-kwuh-lib-ree-uhm, ek-wuh-] / ˌi kwəˈlɪb ri əm, ˌɛk wə- /

noun

plural

equilibriums, equilibria

1. a state of rest or balance due to the equal action of opposing forces.

   Synonyms:

   stability, steadiness, equipoise

2. equal balance between any powers, influences, etc.; equality of effect.

3. mental or emotional balance; equanimity.

   The pressures of the situation caused her to lose her equilibrium.

4. Chemistry. the condition existing when a chemical reaction and its reverse reaction proceed at equal rates.

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equilibrium British  

/ ˌiːkwɪˈlɪbrɪəm /

noun

1. a stable condition in which forces cancel one another

2. a state or feeling of mental balance; composure

3. any unchanging condition or state of a body, system, etc, resulting from the balance or cancelling out of the influences or processes to which it is subjected See thermodynamic equilibrium

4. physics a state of rest or uniform motion in which there is no resultant force on a body

5. chem the condition existing when a chemical reaction and its reverse reaction take place at equal rates

6. physics the condition of a system that has its total energy distributed among its component parts in the statistically most probable manner

7. physiol a state of bodily balance, maintained primarily by special receptors in the inner ear

8. the economic condition in which there is neither excess demand nor excess supply in a market

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equilibrium Scientific  

/ ē′kwə-lĭb′rē-əm /

plural

equilibriums

1. Physics The state of a body or physical system that is at rest or in constant and unchanging motion. A system that is in equilibrium shows no tendency to alter over time.

2. Physics ◆ If a system is in static equilibrium, there are no net forces and no net torque in the system.

3. Physics ◆ If a system is in stable equilibrium, small disturbances to the system cause only a temporary change before it returns to its original state.

4. Chemistry The state of a reversible chemical reaction in which its forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates so that the concentration of the reactants and products remains the same.

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equilibrium ¹ Cultural  

1. A condition in which all influences acting cancel each other, so that a static or balanced situation results. In physics, equilibrium results from the cancellation of forces acting on an object. In chemistry, it occurs when chemical reactions are proceeding in such a way that the amount of each substance in a system remains the same. (See chemical equilibrium.)

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equilibrium ² Cultural  

1. In economics, a state of the economy in which for every commodity or service (including labor), total supply and demand are exactly equal. Equilibrium is never actually attained; it is approximated by movements of the market.

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Discover More

Keynesian economics departed from conventional economic theory in demonstrating that economic equilibrium and full employment need not occur together. Therefore, as a system tends toward equilibrium, it might not eliminate unemployment.

Other Word Forms

• equilibratory
  adjective
• nonequilibrium
  noun

Etymology

Origin of equilibrium

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin aequilībrium, from aequi- equi- + lībr(a) “balance” + -ium -ium

Explanation

Equilibrium is a state of balance. If you play sports so much that you don't have time for your studies, you need to study more and play less, until sports and studying reach a point of equilibrium. Or become a professional athlete. The word equilibrium is commonly used to refer to mental or emotional balance, and a near synonym in this sense is composure. In chemistry, equilibrium is the condition existing when a chemical reaction and its reverse reaction occur at equal rates. This noun is from Latin aequilībrium, from the prefix aequi-, "equal" plus lībra, "a balance, scale."

Example Sentences

Beijing on Saturday described the agreement to establish the trade and investment bodies as part of a larger effort to reach a positive equilibrium between the two sides.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

As China exports more than it imports, the upward pressure on its currency is “an equilibrium outcome,” Trivedi and the team observe.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

Economists observe, furthermore, that large price spikes at the pump take longer to return to equilibrium than small ones, in part because retailers can keep prices high until they see evidence that they’re losing customers.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

"Banerjee's long electoral success rested on a delicate equilibrium between welfare and organisation. But the very organisation that sustained her for 15 years also became her Achilles' heel," says political scientist Bhanu Joshi.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

“It is impossible to perform any act of kindness toward you two. Always the same phantasm! I merely kept all dials at equilibrium in accordance with the will of the Master.”

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Related Words

• calmness
• composure
• serenity
• stability
• symmetry