hang in the balance

Idioms  

1. Be in a precarious condition or in a state of suspense. For example, The doctor said her life was hanging in the balance. This expression alludes to the suspended balance scale where an object is placed in one pan and weights are added one by one to the other pan until the two are balanced. [First half of 1400s]

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Example Sentences

Six years later, Spain's fragile democracy appeared to hang in the balance for several hours as the coup attempt took place.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

But given that free speech itself may hang in the balance, it’s at least worth a try.

From Salon • Nov. 30, 2025

“Because, respectfully, I cannot abide our repeated, gratuitous, and harmful interference with cases pending in the lower courts while lives hang in the balance, I dissent.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2025

Apart from China, duties for many other countries also hang in the balance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 29, 2025

Sometimes the outcome really does teeter and hang in the balance.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton