WordGarden.ioballast
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /bˈæləst/
US
- /ˈbæləst/
Meanings
Noun
heavy material used to steady a ship, rail track, or other structure
something that gives stability or steadiness
a device that regulates current in a fluorescent or similar lamp
Verb
to load or steady with ballast
Beyond the definition
Imagine a hot air balloon: it may carry ballast—like sand or water—to make small adjustments to lift and keep the flight stable. In everyday use, ballast means added weight used to provide stability and steadiness. Ships, for example, use seawater ballast in empty holds or tanks to lower their center of gravity and prevent excess rolling or tipping. In daily life, anything that helps you stay steady during pressure can be your ballast—a supportive friend, a calm routine, or a clear plan.
Think of ballast as the invisible balance that helps prevent drift—literally in machines and vessels, and figuratively when you feel like you might lose your footing. It is not just physical weight; practical advice or a strong moral compass can act as mental ballast when facing difficult decisions.
Ballast is extra weight added to a vessel, vehicle, or structure to improve stability, control, and balance. It is most often used in shipping, where materials such as water, iron, gravel, or stone are taken on or jettisoned so a ship does not become unstable as cargo loads change. A vessel sailing with an empty hold can pump in seawater as temporary ballast to lower its center of gravity, reduce rolling, and handle rough seas more safely.
The idea also appears in railways and construction, where crushed stone called ballast supports and stabilizes tracks or foundations by draining water and keeping movement even. In these physical uses, ballast is not waste; it is purposeful weight that helps keep a system upright and reliable.
Figuratively, ballast means an influence that keeps a person or situation grounded. A friend can be described as "her ballast" during a crisis because their steady presence prevents emotional collapse. A strong argument can use strong evidence as its ballast against weak criticism, and a team might rely on core values as moral ballast during tough decisions. In both cases, ballast is the stabilizing force that prevents loss of balance when pressure increases.
Examples
- 1
Ship stability
Before the storm, the crew pumped water into the ballast tanks.
- Phraseballast tanks
spaces in a ship that hold water to keep it balanced
- 2
Hot-air balloon
The hot-air balloon had to drop some ballast to climb higher.
- 3
Railway tracks
Workers spread fresh ballast under the railway tracks after the heavy rain.
- 4
Emotional support
Her sense of humor gave the team a little ballast during a very stressful week.
- Phrasea little ballast
something that gives stability in a difficult situation
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- stabilizer
- trim weight
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- ship ballast
- water ballast
- railway ballast
- take on ballast
Word family
Explore
- stability
- center of gravity
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- ballastnounverb
Forms
- ballastspluralnounverb
- ballastedpast tenseverbnoun
- ballasting-ing formverbnoun