on balance

Idioms  

1. Taking everything into consideration, as in On balance I think we've had a very good year. This expression, which in effect means “balancing all the factors involved,” was first recorded in 1719.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

on balance

Officials noted that, on balance, the reconstruction is reducing student capacity at these schools, which also allows for more open space and recreation areas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

All the evidence I can find suggests that EVs are reducing China’s emissions, on balance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

But false positives were common, and whether getting a full-body scan stands to, on balance, increase your lifespan is unknown.

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026

Ferrari have the fastest car in the corners on balance, but have been lagging on the straights so far this year.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Does helping one person really matter, on balance?

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black