ENGLISH
REFERENCE

unbalanced

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

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.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From un- + balanced.

Usage

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

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