imbalance

/ɪmˈbæləns/

/ɪmˈbælɪns/

Other forms: imbalances; imbalanced

An imbalance occurs when you have too much of some things and too little of others. If you put so much pepper in your soup that you can't taste the other spices, then you caused an imbalance in your flavoring.

It’s easy to remember the meaning of imbalance when you break the word into parts. You might recognize the prefix im- as a way to say “not.” Combine that with the familiar word balance, and you come up with something that is decidedly out of whack, or not balanced. It means that something is out of proportion, such as a trade imbalance between nations, meaning the amount of goods they sell to one another is not equal.

Definitions of imbalance

1. noun

   a lack of balance or state of disequilibrium
   “a hormonal imbalance”

   synonyms: instability, unbalance

   antonyms:

   balance

   a state of equilibrium

   type of:

   disequilibrium

   loss of equilibrium attributable to an unstable situation in which some forces outweigh others
2. noun

   (mathematics) a lack of symmetry
   synonyms: asymmetry, dissymmetry

   types:

   geometrical irregularity, irregularity

   an irregular asymmetry in shape; an irregular spatial pattern

   lopsidedness, skewness

   an oblique or slanting asymmetry

   radial asymmetry

   the absence of symmetry about an axis

   handedness, laterality

   the property of using one hand more than the other

   footedness

   the property of favoring one foot over the other (as in kicking a ball)

   eyedness

   the property of favoring one eye over the other (as in taking aim)

   directionality, directivity

   the property of a microphone or antenna of being more sensitive in one direction than in another

   ambidexterity, ambidextrousness

   the property of being equally skillful with each hand

   left-handedness, sinistrality

   preference for using the left hand

   dextrality, right-handedness

   preference for using the right hand

   type of:

   spatial property, spatiality

   any property relating to or occupying space