Meaning & use
stabilising
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“stabilising” is a form of “stabilize”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Making something steady and less likely to move, change suddenly or fall apart.
Grammar: Takes an object: stabilising the economy.
Patterns
- stabilising something
- stabilising something with something
The government is stabilising prices by limiting rent rises.
Engineers are stabilising the old tower with steel supports.
The medicine is stabilising her blood sugar.
verbintransitive
Becoming steady and no longer changing quickly or getting worse.
Grammar: No object: the situation is stabilising.
After weeks of storms, the weather finally seems to be stabilising.
The patient's condition is stabilising and doctors are hopeful.
adjectivebefore a noun
Tending to make something steady and secure.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: a stabilising influence.
Her calm voice had a stabilising effect on the nervous team.
A stabilising force was needed after the sudden leadership change.
Word forms
| base form | stabilise |
|---|---|
| third person singular | stabilises |
| past tense | stabilised |
Common combinations
- stabilising the economy
- The central bank is focused on stabilising the economy.
- stabilising effect
- Regular meals had a stabilising effect on his mood.
- stabilising a patient
- Paramedics spent ten minutes stabilising the patient before moving him.
- stabilising influence
- The older players were a stabilising influence on the squad.
- stabilising the situation
- Police worked on stabilising the situation outside the stadium.
Synonyms and how they differ
- steadying
- Steadying is plainer and often physical, such as holding a ladder, while stabilising suits larger systems like prices or health.
- securing
- Securing means fixing something firmly in place, whereas stabilising means reducing change or wobble.
- settling
- Settling suggests calming down after disturbance, with less sense of deliberate action than stabilising.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: stabilising or stabilizing?
stabilising vs stabilizing
Stabilizing is the American spelling of the same word; the meaning is identical.
Practice
Rescue workers spent hours ___ the damaged bridge before anyone could cross.
Choose one answer.
Stabilising means making it steady and safe. Destabilising would have the opposite effect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stabilising”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.