balance

/ˈbæləns/

//ˈbæləns// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"balance" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“balance” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,782 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,782
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A state in which opposing forces harmonise; equilibrium.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

balance vs blanc
71% similar
balance vs blanco
71% similar
balance vs Blanche
57% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for balance
PropertyValue
Headwordbalance
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbæləns/
Letters7
Frequency rank#1,782
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “balance” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). balance lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for balance is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbæləns/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,782 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for balance, with forms such as "ablance", "baalnce", and "balacne". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "blanc", "blanco", "Blanche", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwi- Proto-Italic *dwi- Latin bi- Latin lanx Latin bilanx Vulgar Latin *bilancia Old French balancebor. Middle English balaunce English balance From Middle English balaunce, from Old French bala… The correct English form is balance, spelled B-A-L-A-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A state in which opposing forces harmonise; equilibrium.
  2. 2
    Mental equilibrium; mental health; calmness, a state of remaining clear-headed and unperturbed.
  3. 3
    Something of equal weight used to provide equilibrium; counterweight.
  4. 4
    A pair of scales.
  5. 5
    Awareness of both viewpoints or matters; neutrality; rationality; objectivity.
  6. 6
    The overall result of conflicting forces, opinions etc.; the influence which ultimately "weighs" more than others.
  7. 7
    Apparent harmony in art (between differing colours, sounds, etc.).
  8. 8
    A list accounting for the debits on one side, and for the credits on the other.
  9. 9
    The result of such a procedure; the difference between credit and debit of an account.
  10. 10
    A device used to regulate the speed of a watch, clock etc.
  11. 11
    The remainder.
  12. 12
    Libra.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwi- Proto-Italic *dwi- Latin bi- Latin lanx Latin bilanx Vulgar Latin *bilancia Old French balancebor. Middle English balaunce English balance From Middle English balaunce, from Old French balance, from Late Latin *bilancia, from (accusative form of) Latin bilanx (“two-scaled”), from bi- + lanx (“plate, scale”). Displaced the word — Old English wǣġ akin to Modern English: wey from Proto-West Germanic *wāgu (“scales; weight”).

Synonyms

pair of scalesset of scalesscalesweighing machineweighbridgeequilibriumdisinteresteven-handednessfairnessimpartialityneutralitynonpartisanshipaccount

Antonyms

nonequilibriumimbalanceunbalancebiasfavorfavourpartialitypartisanshipprejudiceunfairness

This word in other languages

equilibrio(Español)contrepoids(Français)Bilanz(Deutsch)equilíbrio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ablance,baalnce,balacne,balancce,balanec,balannce,balence,ballance,balnace,bbalance,blaance

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of balance - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ablance2baalnce2balacne2balancce1balanec2balannce1balence1ballance1
Edit distance from "balance"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "balance"?
"balance" is spelled B-A-L-A-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbæləns/.
What does "balance" mean?
As a noun, "balance" means: A state in which opposing forces harmonise; equilibrium.
What words are commonly confused with "balance"?
"balance" is commonly confused with "blanc", "blanco", "Blanche". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "balance"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "balance" is /ˈbæləns/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "balance"?
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwi- Proto-Italic *dwi- Latin bi- Latin lanx Latin bilanx Vulgar Latin *bilancia Old French balancebor. Middle English balaunce English balance From Middle English balaunce, from Old F... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “balance”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-A-L-A-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbæləns/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “blanc” - see the side-by-side comparison. balance vs blanc
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list