Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

in the balance

ADJECTIVE
pending
Synonyms
STRONGEST
imminent impending undecided
WEAK
awaiting continuing dependent forthcoming hanging in line in the offing in the works indeterminate ominous on board on line pendent undetermined unsettled up in the air
Antonyms
STRONGEST
distant later
WEAK
improbable unlikely

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

His chances of being part of Argentina's squad for this summer's World Cup are also left hanging in the balance.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

As the church prepares Sunday to celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Easter, its members call for renewal and liberation of their homeland as the fate of its governance hangs in the balance.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

From Pickaxe Mountain to the Strait of Hormuz, so much that matters still hangs in the balance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

And for that reason, it carries real upside for TPS holders whose lives hang in the balance.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026

Many years earlier he’d been a young man behind the wheel, momentarily distracted, with a life hanging in the balance.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel