ballast
1 of 2noun
bal·last ˈba-ləst 
1
: a heavy substance (such as rocks or water) placed in such a way as to improve stability and control (as of the draft of a ship or the buoyancy of a balloon or submarine)
tossed several tons of ballast overboard
2
: something that gives stability (as in character or conduct)
She provided the ballast we needed during stressful times.
3
: gravel or broken stone laid in a railroad bed or used in making concrete
4
: a device used to provide the starting voltage or to stabilize the current in a circuit (as of a fluorescent lamp)
ballast
2 of 2verb
ballasted; ballasting; ballasts
transitive verb
1
: to steady or equip with or as if with ballast
They ballast the canoe with large rocks.
2
: to fill in (something, such as a railroad bed) with ballast (see ballast entry 1 sense 3)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2022 There is no food at either place; for ballast, procure a thin-crust pizza with fresh, creative ingredients ($18 to $21) from the nearby Hoek (117 Ferris Street). New York Times, 8 July 2022 Center DeAndre Ayton, who might have been useful as both salary ballast and return, just signed a maximum extension offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers. Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 14 July 2022 Yet the Columbus Dispatch on Wednesday reported that a man had been charged with the rape, adding further ballast to a story that first surfaced in the Indianapolis Star on July 1. Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 13 July 2022 The Celtics should not overpay for Durant—a package of Jaylen Brown, a draft pick or two, Payton Pritchard (or Grant Williams, but not both) and Daniel Theis as salary ballast is about as high as Boston should take its offer. Sean Deveney, Forbes, 1 July 2022 Viewers will yearn for the ballast of clearer insights about the era. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 31 May 2022 According to an Associated Press report, the plan to refloat the ship includes lightening the ballast, dredging the mud around the ship and refloating the ship at high tide using tug boats and the ship's engine. CBS News, 19 Mar. 2022 However the ballast is huge, heavy, and hard to test in water shallower than 100 m. Clarisa Diaz, Quartz, 28 June 2021 Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 27 July 2022 The dollars that might have saved Clarke’s home were instead used to amass a surplus that the government had promised the I.M.F. Mottley had reduced the public work force and raised all sorts of taxes to ballast the government’s balance sheet. New York Times, 27 July 2022 The species, which grows to 6 feet long and weighs up to 220 pounds, was prized for its swim bladder, or maw, an organ that helps ballast the animal. Adam Elder, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020 Amid that debate, the role of the editorial board is to provide Times readers with a long-range view formed not by one person’s expertise and experience but ballasted by certain institutional values that have evolved across more than 150 years. New York Times, 13 Jan. 2020 Some of that freshness comes from the cast, a cornucopia of effervescent young talent ballasted by a handful of doughty old-timers. New York Times, 23 Dec. 2019 Gillis said the new bridge will be ballasted, rather than fixed. Mary Wisniewski, chicagotribune.com, 21 Aug. 2019 Green Bay’s unbalanced and condensed formations, presnap motions, first-down play-actions and intertwined route combinations play to Rodger’s sharp football IQ, ballasting his reads and timing. Andy Benoit, SI.com, 23 July 2019 Roughly a third of the structure is submerged and ballasted by 5,000 tons of iron ore. Michael J. Coren, Quartz, 22 June 2019 See More
Noun
The Heat need Duncan Robinson’s $16.9 million salary as potential ballast to match numbers under the cap in a trade. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2022 There is no food at either place; for ballast, procure a thin-crust pizza with fresh, creative ingredients ($18 to $21) from the nearby Hoek (117 Ferris Street). New York Times, 8 July 2022 Center DeAndre Ayton, who might have been useful as both salary ballast and return, just signed a maximum extension offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers. Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 14 July 2022 Yet the Columbus Dispatch on Wednesday reported that a man had been charged with the rape, adding further ballast to a story that first surfaced in the Indianapolis Star on July 1. Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 13 July 2022 The Celtics should not overpay for Durant—a package of Jaylen Brown, a draft pick or two, Payton Pritchard (or Grant Williams, but not both) and Daniel Theis as salary ballast is about as high as Boston should take its offer. Sean Deveney, Forbes, 1 July 2022 Viewers will yearn for the ballast of clearer insights about the era. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 31 May 2022 According to an Associated Press report, the plan to refloat the ship includes lightening the ballast, dredging the mud around the ship and refloating the ship at high tide using tug boats and the ship's engine. CBS News, 19 Mar. 2022 However the ballast is huge, heavy, and hard to test in water shallower than 100 m. Clarisa Diaz, Quartz, 28 June 2021 Verb
Mottley had reduced the public work force and raised all sorts of taxes to ballast the government’s balance sheet. Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 27 July 2022 The dollars that might have saved Clarke’s home were instead used to amass a surplus that the government had promised the I.M.F. Mottley had reduced the public work force and raised all sorts of taxes to ballast the government’s balance sheet. New York Times, 27 July 2022 The species, which grows to 6 feet long and weighs up to 220 pounds, was prized for its swim bladder, or maw, an organ that helps ballast the animal. Adam Elder, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020 Amid that debate, the role of the editorial board is to provide Times readers with a long-range view formed not by one person’s expertise and experience but ballasted by certain institutional values that have evolved across more than 150 years. New York Times, 13 Jan. 2020 Some of that freshness comes from the cast, a cornucopia of effervescent young talent ballasted by a handful of doughty old-timers. New York Times, 23 Dec. 2019 Gillis said the new bridge will be ballasted, rather than fixed. Mary Wisniewski, chicagotribune.com, 21 Aug. 2019 Green Bay’s unbalanced and condensed formations, presnap motions, first-down play-actions and intertwined route combinations play to Rodger’s sharp football IQ, ballasting his reads and timing. Andy Benoit, SI.com, 23 July 2019 Roughly a third of the structure is submerged and ballasted by 5,000 tons of iron ore. Michael J. Coren, Quartz, 22 June 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
probably from Low German, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Swedish barlast ballast; perhaps akin to Old English bær bare & to Old English hlæst load, hladan to load — more at lade
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing ballast
Kids Definition
ballast
noun
bal·last ˈba-ləst
1
: heavy material used to make a ship steady or to control the rising of a balloon
2
: gravel or broken stone laid in a foundation for a railroad or used in making concrete
ballasts
noun
as in cargoes
heavy material (such as rocks or water) that is put on a ship to make it steady or on a balloon to control its height in the air —often used figuratively A large amount of ballast kept the boat from capsizing. She provided the ballast the family needed in times of stress. Synonyms & Similar Words
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