Idiom idiom
balance out
Meaning
To attain balance through the contrasting or reciprocating effect of different elements.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The good news helps to balance out the bad news.”
“You should eat some vegetables to balance out the heavy meal you had earlier.”
“The quiet moments of reflection serve to balance out the frantic pace of her daily professional responsibilities.”
Anchors to
- 01
balance the books
To add up all the debits and credits.
- 02
check and balance
Provide mutual oversight and limitation by independent organizations in order to prevent abuses of power.
- 03
hang in the balance
To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.
- 04
throw off balance
To unsettle, to catch by surprise.
Last updated August 10, 2026