balancing act

noun

plural balancing acts

: an attempt to handle or deal with two or more things (such as obligations) at one time so as to satisfy often competing requirements

"It's a difficult balancing act between celebrating the past and making room for the future."

—Jeffrey Brown

Vegas might be the starkest example of what the hospitality industry faces across the country: a delicate balancing act between bringing back jobs and revenue and keeping workers and customers safe from a virus that's killed more than 100,000 Americans.

—Dave Jamieson

It's a balancing act between appreciation, education and safety. Earlier this year, London city council voted to tighten up a parks bylaw that restricts the amount of food residents can feed to wild animals.

—Megan Stacey

Examples of balancing act in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Inventory limits and restock restrictions mean sellers have to maintain a delicate balancing act. —Tom Wicky, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025

Although these plants crave moisture, determining how much and how often to water monstera can be a bit of a balancing act. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Feb. 2025

This whole thing will be a balancing act for Thomson. —Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025

Oakland has a new seafood-centric bistro that performs a lovely balancing act between rustic and refined, Sirene. —John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for balancing act

• overreact
• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract
• detract
• distract
• enact
• exact
• extract
• hijacked