imbalance

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   A situation in which two or more things are not equal or are not in the right amounts.

   Grammar: Can be countable (an imbalance, imbalances) or uncountable (imbalance in the system).

   Patterns

   • imbalance between A and B
   • imbalance in something
   • cause an imbalance
   • correct an imbalance

   There is a serious imbalance between the number of jobs and the number of workers.

   The medicine can cause an imbalance in your body's salts.

   The report highlighted the imbalance of power between the two countries.

2. 2nouncountablemedical

   A medical condition in which a part of the body or mind does not work in the normal way.

   Grammar: Often used with words like chemical, hormonal, or mental: a chemical imbalance.

   Patterns

   • chemical imbalance
   • hormonal imbalance
   • mental imbalance

   The doctor said her mood swings were caused by a hormonal imbalance.

   A chemical imbalance in the brain can affect how a person feels.

3. 3nouncountable or uncountable

   A lack of fairness or equality in a relationship, organization, or system.

   Grammar: Often used with between or in: an imbalance between the sexes.

   Patterns

   • imbalance between people
   • gender imbalance
   • power imbalance

   There is a clear gender imbalance on the company's board.

   The power imbalance in their relationship made it hard for her to speak up.

Word forms

Common combinations

trade imbalance

The country is trying to reduce its trade imbalance with its neighbors.

imbalance of power

The treaty was meant to correct the imbalance of power in the region.

correct an imbalance

New laws were introduced to correct the imbalance between rich and poor schools.

cause an imbalance

Too much salt can cause an imbalance in your body fluids.

gender imbalance

The university is trying to fix the gender imbalance in science courses.

Synonyms and how they differ

disproportion

Disproportion is more formal and often suggests a shocking difference in size or amount, while imbalance is a broader word for any lack of equality.

inequality

Inequality usually refers to unfair differences between people or groups, especially in society, while imbalance can also describe physical or chemical states.

asymmetry

Asymmetry is a technical word for a lack of symmetry in shape or structure, not for general unfairness.

Opposites

Word family

balanced adjective

Having the right amounts or being fair and equal.

unbalanced adjective

Not equal or not in the right amounts; also used for a person who seems mentally unstable.

balance noun

A state in which things are equal or in the right amounts.

Commonly confused: imbalance or unbalance?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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