Meaning & use
in ballast
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrasetechnical
Describing a ship that is traveling with only heavy material for stability and no commercial cargo aboard.
Grammar: Used after the verb 'be' or 'sail': The ship is in ballast. It acts like an adjective phrase.
Patterns
- be in ballast
- sail in ballast
- arrive in ballast
- travel in ballast
After unloading its cargo of grain, the vessel sailed in ballast to the next port.
The tanker was in ballast, so it sat higher in the water than usual.
Ships often travel in ballast when they are going to pick up a new load.
phrasefixed phrasetechnical
Used more broadly to mean carrying only weight for balance, without any paying load or passengers.
Grammar: Can describe any vehicle or container that is empty of cargo but carries stabilizing weight.
Patterns
- run in ballast
- operate in ballast
The barge made the return trip in ballast because there was nothing to carry back.
Trucks sometimes run in ballast to keep their axles stable on icy roads.
Common combinations
- sail in ballast
- The cargo ship had to sail in ballast after delivering its goods.
- arrive in ballast
- The vessel arrived in ballast, waiting for a new assignment.
- be in ballast
- The freighter is in ballast until it reaches the loading dock.
- in ballast condition
- The captain reported the ship was in ballast condition, with no cargo on board.
- travel in ballast
- Some ships travel in ballast for thousands of miles between jobs.
- return in ballast
- The empty oil tanker returned in ballast to the refinery.
Synonyms and how they differ
- empty
- This is a general word for having nothing inside; 'in ballast' is more specific to ships carrying stabilizing weight.
- unladen
- This means not carrying a load, but it doesn't imply the presence of ballast for stability.
Opposites
Word family
- ballast noun
- Heavy material used to stabilize a ship or other vehicle.
- ballasted adjective
- Fitted with or carrying ballast.
Commonly confused: in ballast or in bulk?
in ballast vs in bulk
This means carrying cargo in loose form, like grain or coal, not carrying only ballast. A ship in bulk is full of cargo; a ship in ballast has none.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'in ballast' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase 'in ballast' means the ship is carrying only stabilizing weight and no cargo. Option B correctly shows no cargo but ballast for stability. Option A contradicts the meaning by saying it carried a full load. Option C is wrong because passengers are not ballast. Option D describes a location, not the ship's load condition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “in ballast”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.