English Reference
Adjective

unbalanced

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ənˈbæɫənst/ UK /ʌnbˈælənst/ un·bal·anced Accounting Computing

adj.not equal or steady in weight, amount, or mental state. You use this to describe something that is likely to fall over or someone who is acting in a strange, unstable way.

adj.lacking stability, proportion, or equilibrium. Often used to describe physical objects, financial accounts with unequal debits and credits, or a person's mental state.


SIMPLE

The table is unbalanced because one leg is shorter than the others.

CONTEXTUAL

The accountant noticed that the books were unbalanced, suggesting that several transactions had not been recorded correctly.

COMPLEX

The documentary explores how an unbalanced distribution of resources can lead to systemic instability within a developing economy, eventually triggering a total collapse of local markets.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'seem' or 'become'.

When the researchers inactivated this particular group of neutrophils, the immune response became unbalanced.

ScienceDaily· 8 Sept 2026

From un- + balanced.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated