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

I need to acknowledge that this indicator has been in overvalued territory for several years now, and yet the stock market on balance has continued to go up.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

We genuinely don’t know yet whether on balance AI will lead to more stability or volatility.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

Red Bull have been the fourth fastest car on balance this season, but a big upgrade for this race brought them into the fight at the front.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026

The combined group would preserve the respective brands, historical headquarters and territorial roots of the two banks and adopt a governance structure based on balance and representativeness, BPM said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

Does helping one person really matter, on balance?

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black