imbalance

noun

im·​bal·​ance (ˌ)im-ˈba-lən(t)s How to pronounce imbalance (audio)
plural imbalances
: lack of balance : the state of being out of equilibrium or out of proportion
a structural imbalance
a chemical imbalance in the brain
"… The talks are aimed at reducing the trade imbalance … between the world`s two largest economic powers. …"Norah O'Donnell
A key element of the definition of bullying is a power imbalance that enables the abusive behavior.Patricia Vowinkel
Some have suffered an imbalance of gait known as ataxia.Lawrence K. Altman
imbalanced adjective

Examples of imbalance in a Sentence

Her depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. the problem of racial imbalance in schools
Recent Examples on the Web The imbalance in happiness ends up bringing everyone down in the end, as the report finds that people tend to be happier living in countries where there is a greater equality in happiness. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2024 Cystic fibrosis is caused by an imbalance of salt and water in the body, and this affects developing organs even before birth. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024 An autopsy found that the child had died from electrolyte imbalance, likely caused by viral gastroenteritis, according to police. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 The boy died from an electrolyte imbalance most likely due to gastroenteritis, or vomiting and diarrhea that led to dehydration, according to Indiana State Police, citing autopsy results. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024 The result, according to various measures of China’s trade performance, has been a growing imbalance in global trade. David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 But zooming in on the data, the FDA observed an alarming imbalance of deaths in the early months of both studies, finding that more patients in the CAR-T group died of myeloma or side effects than those receiving the standard of care. Damian Garde, STAT, 15 Mar. 2024 Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants and can result in illness and disease.5 In a 2016 study, researchers extracted human peripheral lymphocytes (a form of a white blood cell). Barbie Cervoni, Verywell Health, 11 Mar. 2024 Candidates’ unwillingness to settle for less than the ideal coupled with market uncertainty and the instinct to put individual needs ahead of a professional code of conduct is unintentionally creating an unsustainable imbalance in the workforce. Innesa Burrola, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'imbalance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imbalance was circa 1890

Dictionary Entries Near imbalance

Cite this Entry

“Imbalance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imbalance. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

imbalance

noun
im·​bal·​ance (ˈ)im-ˈbal-ən(t)s How to pronounce imbalance (audio)
: the state of being out of balance or out of proportion

Medical Definition

imbalance

noun
im·​bal·​ance (ˈ)im-ˈbal-ən(t)s How to pronounce imbalance (audio)
: lack of balance : the state of being out of equilibrium or out of proportion: as
a
: loss of parallel relation between the optical axes of the eyes caused by faulty action of the extrinsic muscles and often resulting in diplopia
b
: absence of biological equilibrium
a vitamin imbalance
if the ductus arteriosus fails to close, a circulatory imbalance resultsE. B. Steen & Ashley Montagu
c
: a disproportion between the number of males and females in a population
imbalanced adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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