balance sheet

American  

noun

Accounting.

1. a tabular statement of both sides of a set of accounts in which the debit and credit balances add up as equal.

2. a statement of the financial position of a business on a specified date.

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balance sheet British  

noun

1. a statement that shows the financial position of a business enterprise at a specified date by listing the asset balances and the claims on such assets

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balance sheet Cultural  

1. An orderly account of the assets of a company or individual and of the financial claims on those assets by others.

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Etymology

Origin of balance sheet

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

“The Fed has been expanding its balance sheet since December to build bank reserves in the system to absorb this temporary loss of reserves.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

The board decided to widen the scope to include any companies with cash equivalents on their balance sheet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

A major debt restructuring, that gave a non-cash boost to the bottom line, and helped the company’s balance sheet, came at a huge cost to shareholders.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 12, 2026

When he got to work, de Meo’s most pressing priority was the balance sheet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

The act of bringing together after a difference, as in to reconcile numbers on a balance sheet; resolution.

From "The Lemonade War" by Jacqueline Davies