What does outbalancing mean?
Outbalancing is the present participle of outbalance, a relatively uncommon transitive verb meaning to weigh more than or hold a decisive advantage over. Unlike balance, which can describe a state of equilibrium and can also be used intransitively, outbalancing focuses on a comparison: one person, thing, claim, or force is greater than another. The form is most likely to appear in formal, technical, or literary prose, often describing competing influences, arguments, organizations, or measures. It can also function as a gerund in constructions such as “outbalancing its rivals,” where the action is treated as a noun. Because the underlying verb is uncommon, outbalancing may sound emphatic or somewhat old-fashioned even when it is simply the standard grammatical form. Its usefulness lies in making the familiar idea of superiority more explicit and vivid than the more commonly used verb outweigh. The spelling is an ordinary compound, with the prefix out- attached directly to balance.
verbThe present participle of outbalance, meaning to weigh more than or hold a decisive advantage over something or someone.
- To weigh more than something else.
- To have a greater effect, value, or advantage than a competing person, thing, or force.
"The proposal was compelling, outbalancing every competing argument presented during the hearing."
"The new treatment is outbalancing the benefits of every treatment previously available."
"By securing more delegates, she was outbalancing her closest rival in the nomination."
Outbalancing puts one side of the scales decisively ahead of the other.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does outbalancing come from?
The verb was formed in English by combining the prefix out-, meaning beyond or surpassing, with balance. Balance came through Old French from Latin balx, a term associated with a scale or beam. The prefix out- has long been used in English to indicate greater weight, value, or effect, as reflected in related words such as outweigh and outnumber.
Related word forms
How outbalancing is actually used
This is an uncommon verb form and may sound formal, technical, or dated to modern readers. As a gerund, it can also refer to the activity of gaining a decisive advantage, as in “the company’s strategy of outbalancing its competitors.”