balanced budget

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   a plan for spending in which the amount of money spent equals the amount of money received, with no deficit.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a balanced budget' or 'balanced budgets'. Often used with 'have', 'pass', or 'propose'.

   Patterns

   • a balanced budget
   • have a balanced budget
   • pass a balanced budget

   The mayor promised to present a balanced budget next year.

   Many states require a balanced budget by law.

   After months of debate, the council finally approved a balanced budget.

2. 2nouncountable

   a situation in which a government's tax revenue equals its spending, often required by law.

   Grammar: Often used in political contexts: 'a balanced budget amendment'.

   Patterns

   • balanced budget amendment
   • require a balanced budget

   The senator proposed a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget.

   Without a balanced budget, the country would continue to borrow heavily.

Word forms

Common combinations

pass a balanced budget

Congress struggled to pass a balanced budget before the deadline.

propose a balanced budget

The governor proposed a balanced budget that cut education funding.

require a balanced budget

The state constitution requires a balanced budget each year.

achieve a balanced budget

It took years of spending cuts to achieve a balanced budget.

Synonyms and how they differ

fiscally responsible budget

This is a broader term that implies careful spending but does not necessarily mean income equals spending; it is more subjective.

Opposites

Word family

balance verb

to make income and spending equal

budget noun

a plan for how money will be spent

Commonly confused: balanced budget or budget deficit?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “balanced budget”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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