Balance is something we all need in our lives. It means having things in the right order or making sure nothing is too much or too little. People often use special phrases called idioms to talk about balance. These idioms help us explain ideas in fun and interesting ways.
In this article, you will learn about idioms that talk about balance. We will see what these phrases mean and how to use them. Knowing these idioms can make it easier to understand and share your thoughts about keeping things steady and fair.
Idioms for Balance
1. Keep your balance
Meaning: Stay steady and not fall.
Samples: She kept her balance while walking on the beam. / I had to keep my balance on the bike.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t fall over. / Stay steady and safe.
2. On an even keel
Meaning: Stay calm and steady.
Samples: After the storm, the ship was on an even keel. / He kept his work on an even keel during the test.
To Put it Another Way: Stay steady and calm. / Keep things balanced and smooth.
3. Walk a tightrope
Meaning: Do something carefully to avoid problems.
Samples: She walked a tightrope between her friends to keep peace. / I felt like I was walking a tightrope during the test.
To Put it Another Way: Be very careful. / Don’t make a mistake.
4. Balance the scales
Meaning: Make things fair or equal.
Samples: The judge balanced the scales to give a fair decision. / We balanced the scales by sharing the chores.
To Put it Another Way: Make things even. / Give everyone a fair chance.
5. Keep things in check
Meaning: Control something so it does not get too big.
Samples: Mom keeps her temper in check even when she’s tired. / I kept my worries in check before the game.
To Put it Another Way: Stay in control. / Don’t let things get too much.
6. Hold the balance
Meaning: Have control to keep things steady.
Samples: The captain held the balance during the storm. / I held the balance between homework and playtime.
To Put it Another Way: Stay in charge. / Keep things steady.
7. Strike a balance
Meaning: Find the right amount of two things.
Samples: I try to strike a balance between studying and playing. / We struck a balance between work and rest.
To Put it Another Way: Find the right mix. / Do a little of both.
8. Tip the scales
Meaning: Make one side stronger or bigger than the other.
Samples: The extra votes tipped the scales in her favor. / Eating too much candy tipped the scales and made me feel sick.
To Put it Another Way: Make one side win. / Change what was even.
9. Off balance
Meaning: Not steady or confused.
Samples: I was off balance on the slippery floor. / The surprise question left me off balance.
To Put it Another Way: Not steady. / Feeling confused.
10. Keep a level head
Meaning: Stay calm and think clearly.
Samples: Even in a problem, she kept a level head. / I kept a level head during the tough game.
To Put it Another Way: Stay calm. / Think clearly.
11. Swing both ways
Meaning: Change between two options or ideas.
Samples: He swings both ways on choosing his favorite sport. / I swing both ways when picking a snack.
To Put it Another Way: Change back and forth. / Try both choices.
12. Balance act
Meaning: Trying to manage two or more hard things at once.
Samples: Doing homework and chores is a balance act. / Being on the team and doing well in school is a balance act.
To Put it Another Way: Juggle many things. / Manage two jobs.
13. Fall off the wagon
Meaning: Lose control or stop doing something good.
Samples: He fell off the wagon and stopped practicing piano. / I fell off the wagon and forgot to eat healthy.
To Put it Another Way: Lose control. / Stop doing what’s right.
14. Play it by ear
Meaning: Decide what to do as things happen.
Samples: We didn’t plan the game; we played it by ear. / I played it by ear when my friend called.
To Put it Another Way: Decide later. / Go with the flow.
15. Keep your feet on the ground
Meaning: Stay practical and realistic.
Samples: Even after winning, she kept her feet on the ground. / I keep my feet on the ground when I plan projects.
To Put it Another Way: Stay real. / Don’t dream too big.
16. Take it in stride
Meaning: Handle problems without getting upset.
Samples: I took the bad grade in stride and tried harder. / She took the delay in stride and waited patiently.
To Put it Another Way: Stay calm with problems. / Don’t get upset.
17. A fine line
Meaning: A small difference between two things.
Samples: There is a fine line between joking and being mean. / It’s a fine line between brave and reckless.
To Put it Another Way: Small difference. / Hard to tell apart.
18. Find your footing
Meaning: Get used to a new situation.
Samples: After moving schools, I finally found my footing. / She found her footing in the new sport quickly.
To Put it Another Way: Get comfortable. / Feel steady.
19. Keep your balance in check
Meaning: Make sure you stay steady.
Samples: I keep my balance in check when skating. / She keeps her balance in check on the seesaw.
To Put it Another Way: Stay steady. / Don’t fall.
20. Lose your balance
Meaning: Become unsteady or confused.
Samples: I lost my balance and fell off the bike. / He lost his balance when the plan changed suddenly.
To Put it Another Way: Fall down. / Get confused.
21. Tiptoe around
Meaning: Avoid causing trouble by being careful.
Samples: I tiptoed around my sleeping baby sister. / They tiptoed around the problem to keep peace.
To Put it Another Way: Be very careful. / Avoid trouble.
22. Keep your balance beam
Meaning: Stay steady in a tricky situation.
Samples: She kept her balance beam during the hard task. / I kept my balance beam while speaking in front of class.
To Put it Another Way: Stay steady. / Don’t fall or fail.
23. On the fence
Meaning: Not sure which choice to make.
Samples: I’m on the fence about which game to play. / She was on the fence about going to the party.
To Put it Another Way: Can’t decide. / Still thinking.
24. Keep things balanced
Meaning: Make sure everything is fair and steady.
Samples: We kept things balanced by sharing the toys. / She keeps things balanced between school and fun.
To Put it Another Way: Make things fair. / Stay steady.
25. Walk the middle path
Meaning: Choose the option that is between two extremes.
Samples: I walked the middle path and did some homework and some playing. / She walks the middle path by being polite but honest.
To Put it Another Way: Choose the middle way. / Avoid extremes.
26. Tip the balance in your favor
Meaning: Do something that helps you win or succeed.
Samples: Doing extra practice tipped the balance in my favor. / His good attitude tipped the balance in his favor.
To Put it Another Way: Help yourself win. / Make things go your way.
27. Keep a steady hand
Meaning: Stay calm and careful when doing something hard.
Samples: The artist kept a steady hand while drawing. / I kept a steady hand while carrying the tray.
To Put it Another Way: Be calm and careful. / Don’t shake or make mistakes.
28. Balance on a knife’s edge
Meaning: Be in a very risky or tricky situation.
Samples: The game was balanced on a knife’s edge until the last minute. / I felt like I was balanced on a knife’s edge during the test.
To Put it Another Way: Be in danger. / Something could go wrong.
29. Hold steady
Meaning: Stay firm and not change.
Samples: The boat held steady during the waves. / I held steady in my decision to study hard.
To Put it Another Way: Stay firm. / Don’t change.
30. Keep your balance with both feet on the ground
Meaning: Stay calm and steady in real life.
Samples: She kept her balance with both feet on the ground during hard times. / I try to keep my balance with both feet on the ground.
To Put it Another Way: Stay calm and real. / Don’t get too excited or scared.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Balance
Last week, our school held a big science fair. Mia had to keep her balance while carrying her project to the table. It felt like she was walking a tightrope because she didn’t want to drop anything. Her friend Sam helped her by making sure she kept things in check and didn’t rush.
During the fair, Mia had to strike a balance between talking to the judges and watching other projects. Sometimes, she felt a little off balance when there were so many people around. But she reminded herself to keep a level head and stay calm.
After the fair, Mia and her family talked about how she had to tip the scales in her favor by working hard. She learned it’s important to hold steady even when things get hard. Mia felt proud because she had done a good job keeping her balance all day.
Task:
Read the passage again and underline or list the 8 idioms about balance you find.
Answer Key
- Keep her balance
- Walking a tightrope
- Kept things in check
- Strike a balance
- Off balance
- Keep a level head
- Tip the scales
- Hold steady
Conclusion
Idioms about balance help us talk about staying steady and fair in many situations. They make our words clear and interesting. Learning these phrases can help you explain how to handle hard choices or keep calm when things get tricky.
By using idioms like “keep your balance” or “strike a balance,” you can share your ideas better and understand others more easily. Balance is important in life, and these idioms show us how to keep it.
