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Meaning & use

tip the scales

phrase·Advanced

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UK/ˌtɪp ðə ˈskeɪlz/
US/ˌtɪp ðə ˈskeɪlz/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiom

    to be the thing that finally decides a situation or makes one side win in a close contest.

    Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; often followed by 'in favor of' or 'against' someone or something.

    Patterns

    • tip the scales in favor of someone/something
    • tip the scales against someone/something
    • something tips the scales

    The final witness tipped the scales in favor of the defendant.

    A last-minute goal tipped the scales in the home team's favor.

    Her strong interview tipped the scales against the other candidates.

  2. phraseidiomfigurative

    to change a situation so that one side becomes slightly more likely to win or succeed.

    Grammar: Often used with 'toward' or 'in the direction of' to show which side gains an advantage.

    Patterns

    • tip the scales toward something
    • tip the scales in someone's direction

    The new evidence tipped the scales toward a guilty verdict.

    Public opinion slowly tipped the scales in the direction of reform.

Word forms

past tensetipped the scales
past participletipped the scales
-ing formtipping the scales

Common combinations

tip the scales in favor of
The new policy tipped the scales in favor of small businesses.
tip the scales against
His rude remark tipped the scales against him in the interview.
tip the scales toward
The discovery tipped the scales toward a new theory.
tip the balance
A single vote tipped the balance in the committee.
tip the scales in someone's favor
Her excellent references tipped the scales in her favor.

Synonyms and how they differ

decide
More direct and general; 'tip the scales' suggests a close contest where one small factor makes the final difference.
sway
Focuses on influencing someone's opinion, while 'tip the scales' focuses on the final outcome of a situation.
turn the tide
Suggests a major change in a situation, often after a period of losing; 'tip the scales' is usually about a small but decisive advantage.

Word family

scale noun
A device for weighing, or a balance; the idiom comes from the image of a balance tipping.
tip verb
To lean or make something lean to one side; also used in other idioms like 'tip the balance.'

Commonly confused: tip the scales or tip the balance?

tip the scales vs tip the balance

Very similar, but 'tip the balance' is more common in British English and often used for power or advantage, while 'tip the scales' is common in both varieties and often used for decisions or judgments.

Practice

The new evidence finally ______ the scales in favor of the prosecution.

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