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Meaning & use

unbalanced

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ʌnˈbælənst/
US/ʌnˈbælənst/

Meanings

  1. adjectivenot comparable

    Not equal or even, so that one side or part is heavier, larger, or stronger than the other.

    Grammar: Used to describe things, not people: a load, a diet, a report, or a team can be unbalanced.

    Patterns

    • an unbalanced load
    • an unbalanced diet
    • be unbalanced

    The washing machine shakes loudly when the load is unbalanced.

    Her diet was unbalanced, with far too much sugar and almost no vegetables.

    The report gave an unbalanced picture of the events, quoting only one side.

  2. adjectivenot comparableinformaldisapproving

    Slightly crazy or mentally unstable, used in an informal and often unkind way.

    Grammar: Used of a person; it is a harsh word, so say it about someone only with care.

    Patterns

    • be unbalanced
    • seem unbalanced

    He called his rival unbalanced, which upset everyone at the table.

    After months without sleep, she felt she was becoming unbalanced.

    The film shows a character who slowly becomes unbalanced.

Common combinations

unbalanced diet
An unbalanced diet can leave you short of important vitamins.
mentally unbalanced
The court heard that the accused was mentally unbalanced.
unbalanced view
The article gives an unbalanced view of the argument.
unbalanced load
The dryer rattles because of an unbalanced load.
become unbalanced
He became unbalanced after years of stress.

Synonyms and how they differ

uneven
Describes things that are not level or not equal in size; it does not suggest mental illness.
lopsided
Suggests one side is much bigger or heavier, often in a physical or visual way.
deranged
A stronger and more formal word for mentally ill, used mainly in medical or news writing.

Opposites

balancedeven

Word family

balance noun
A state in which things are equal or steady.
balance verb
To keep something steady or give equal attention to parts.
imbalance noun
A lack of equality between two things.

Commonly confused: unbalanced or imbalanced?

unbalanced vs imbalanced

Both words mean 'not balanced', but 'imbalanced' is more common for systems and situations, while 'unbalanced' is the usual choice for a person's mind and for physical loads.

Practice

Which sentence uses 'unbalanced' in the sense of 'not equal or even'?

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