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# unbalance

verb (unbalance, unbalances, unbalanced, unbalancing); noun (unbalance — uncountable, rare)

«unbalance» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To unbalance something is to make it lose its balance, so it tips or wobbles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#m1)
2. To unbalance a situation is to make it unfair or uneven, such as giving one team many more good players. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#m2)
3. (older use) To unbalance a person is to upset them so much that they cannot think clearly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#m3)
4. (noun, rare) Unbalance is a lack of balance; «imbalance» is the usual word. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#m4)

### In the lessons

In science and PE: weight on one side can unbalance a seesaw or a gymnast. In maths, an equation is like a balance – adding to one side only unbalances it. In fairness talk: big differences can unbalance a game or a diet. Adjective «unbalanced» is common: «an unbalanced diet».

### Examples

- A big wave unbalanced the boat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#x1)
- Don't lean too far or you'll unbalance the ladder. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#x2)
- Putting all the tall children on one team would unbalance the game. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#x3)
- If you add 3 to only one side, you unbalance the equation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#x4)
- The heavy bag unbalanced my bike. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#x5)
- Eating only sweets gives you an unbalanced diet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/#x6)

### Note

Regular verb. The noun usually used is «imbalance», not «unbalance». In maths, keep an equation balanced by doing the same thing to both sides. Calling a person «unbalanced» (mentally) is unkind and old-fashioned.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «unbalance» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unbalance/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«unbalance» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/unbalance.html) on Mova free.