strike a balance

Idioms  

1. Find a compromise, as in We have to strike a balance between what we want and what we can afford. This expression alludes to accounting, where it signifies finding a profit or loss by weighing income versus outlay. [Mid-1800s]

---

Example Sentences

“We gave ourselves a mini-psychology degree just by doing this week after week. So we strike a balance between being relatable, normal girls and people who have been in the game for years.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

But Interior Minister Laurent Nunez declined to ban the rally, arguing that he had to "strike a balance between maintaining public order and freedom of expression" and pledging an "extremely large police deployment".

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

The Nordic dietary guidelines were developed to strike a balance between supporting human health and lowering environmental impact.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2026

Shona Hunter, who works conserving documents at the NLS, said they had to strike a balance between giving people access now while also making sure others will be able to see it in the future.

From BBC • Dec. 11, 2025

The various well temperament tunings that were very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries tried to strike a balance between staying close to pure intervals and avoiding wolf intervals.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones