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

The two on-field red cards probably are, on balance, both correct decisions.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

The good versions — the deeply custardy ones with crisp edges and pockets of surprise throughout — rely on balance, responsiveness and a little bit of nerve.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

A scarcity of talent has, on balance, given workers the upper hand over their employers.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

The millennial feminist movement also, on balance, did far more good than harm.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

Does helping one person really matter, on balance?

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black