unbalanced

American  

[uhn-bal-uhnst] / ʌnˈbæl ənst /

adjective

1. not balanced or not properly balanced.

2. lacking steadiness and soundness of judgment.

3. mentally disordered; deranged.

   Synonyms:

   irrational, unsound, disturbed

4. (of an account) not adjusted; not brought to an equality of debits and credits.

5. Football. of or relating to an offensive line formation having more than three linemen on one side of the center.

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unbalanced British  

/ ʌnˈbælənst /

adjective

1. lacking balance

2. irrational or unsound; erratic

3. mentally disordered or deranged

4. biased; one-sided

   unbalanced reporting

5. (in double-entry book-keeping) not having total debit balances equal to total credit balances

6. electronics (of signals or circuitry) not symmetrically disposed about earth or zero reference potential

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Etymology

Origin of unbalanced

First recorded in 1640–50; un- ¹ + balanced

Explanation

When something is unbalanced, it's uneven or unstable. If your weight on a surfboard is unbalanced, you risk falling off. Things can be physically unbalanced, like a seesaw with only one kid on it, or more figuratively unbalanced. For example, your mom might think you have an unbalanced diet if you rarely eat vegetables, and you'd describe your high school education as unbalanced if you didn't take any math classes. Another way to be unbalanced is to be mentally ill or emotionally disturbed.

Example Sentences

While metals are essential for normal brain function, problems can arise when their levels become unbalanced.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

And while there had been growth, it had been "unbalanced", he said, with around a third coming from the creation of artificial intelligence data centres.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

But there is no serious dispute about its scale or how far it has unbalanced the markets.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 31, 2025

The UGT also complains that formal talks between unions, government and business were "unbalanced, restrictive and detrimental to workers".

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025

Things tend to get worse, not better, and knowing how unbalanced I’d felt being in the midst of the fray, I couldn’t imagine the state of the streets right now.

From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• irregular
• lopsided
• top-heavy
• unequal
• uneven
• unstable
• unsteady
• wobbly