strike a balance

Idioms

Find a compromise, as in We have to strike a balance between what we want and what we can afford. This expression alludes to accounting, where it signifies finding a profit or loss by weighing income versus outlay. [Mid-1800s]

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.

Khamenei knew how to strike a balance to ensure his political survival.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We gave ourselves a mini-psychology degree just by doing this week after week. So we strike a balance between being relatable, normal girls and people who have been in the game for years.”

From Los Angeles Times

But Interior Minister Laurent Nunez declined to ban the rally, arguing that he had to "strike a balance between maintaining public order and freedom of expression" and pledging an "extremely large police deployment".

From Barron's

The Nordic dietary guidelines were developed to strike a balance between supporting human health and lowering environmental impact.

From Science Daily

I had to strike a balance between giving him the affection he so clearly craved and getting us both in trouble.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023