in the balance
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The future of nearly 100 million Iranians hangs in the balance.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
"Narges Mohammadi's life hangs in the balance," her Paris-based husband Taghi Rahmani said in a statement.
From Barron's • May 10, 2026
In a world where public trust in science already hangs in the balance, a system that is visibly strained and occasionally embarrassed gives bad-faith actors fresh ammunition.
From Slate • May 3, 2026
As the church prepares Sunday to celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Easter, its members call for renewal and liberation of their homeland as the fate of its governance hangs in the balance.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
The fate of the school hung in the balance.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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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.