stabilizer

American  

[stay-buh-lahy-zer] / ˈsteɪ bəˌlaɪ zər /

noun

• stabilizers
  plural

1. a person or thing that stabilizes.

2. Aeronautics. a device for stabilizing an aircraft, as the fixed, horizontal tail surface on an airplane.

3. Nautical.

   1. a mechanical device for counteracting the roll of a vessel, consisting of a pair of retractable fins so pivoted as to oppose a downward force with an upward one, and vice versa.

   2. a gyrostabilizer.

4. any of various substances added to foods, chemical compounds, etc., to prevent deterioration, the breaking down of an emulsion, or the loss of desirable properties.

5. any compound that, when included with an explosive, decreases the ability of the latter to decompose spontaneously.

6. a substance, as beeswax or aluminum stearate, added to a fast-drying oil paint to improve the dispersion of pigment.

7. a comparatively large shock absorber for motor vehicles.

8. Military.

   1. any of various devices or systems that keep a gun mounted on a moving ship, tank, or plane automatically aimed at its target.

   2. any of various mechanical devices, such as fins, or electronic systems that keep a shell, bomb, rocket, etc., aligned with its target.

9. Navy. any of various devices or systems used to keep a submarine or a torpedo at the proper depth or in the proper position.

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stabilizer British  

/ ˈsteɪbɪˌlaɪzə /

noun

1. any device for stabilizing an aircraft See also horizontal stabilizer vertical stabilizer

2. a substance added to something to maintain it in a stable or unchanging state, such as an additive to food to preserve its texture during distribution and storage

3. nautical

   1. a system of one or more pairs of fins projecting from the hull of a ship and controllable to counteract roll

   2. See gyrostabilizer

4. either of a pair of brackets supporting a small wheel that can be fitted to the back wheel of a bicycle to help an inexperienced cyclist to maintain balance

5. an electronic device for producing a direct current supply of constant voltage

6. economics a measure, such as progressive taxation, interest-rate control, or unemployment benefit, used to restrict swings in prices, employment, production, etc, in a free economy

7. a person or thing that stabilizes

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• stabilizers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of stabilizer

First recorded in 1905–10; stabilize + -er ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stabilizer stabilizers

If Mr. Lustig’s analysis of French public finance is correct, this possibility of Social Security reform is an important stabilizer in America’s own debt market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Delta Air Lines Flight 7 was taxiing for departure when its left wing clipped Air Canada Flight 785’s horizontal stabilizer at around 10:30 a.m.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Lithium, a mood stabilizer, is a common way to treat the illness.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Its importance as a thickener and stabilizer — with no real substitute — should make it a boon for Sudan, once responsible for up to 80% of the world’s supply.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026

The tail looked much larger when he got next to it, with a major part of the vertical stabilizer showing and perhaps half of the elevators.

From "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen

For decades, individual investors treated bonds as virtually worry-free stabilizers in their portfolio.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

Thankfully that never happened thanks to the ship’s stabilizers, allowing me to traverse sea ice, view an unsuccessful polar bear hunt, and photograph wildlife from whales to walruses in comfort.

From Barron's ● May 6, 2026

Over several cycles, stabilizers were measured every 1.66 microseconds to correct both bit flips and phase flips.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 6, 2026

First, to be considered ultra-processed, food must contain one of several non-natural substances spanning eight categories, among them emulsifiers, stabilizers, flavor enhancers and flavoring agents.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2025

The sea glittered with chop, but Leo had fixed the stabilizers well enough that Hazel didn’t look too seasick.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

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