unbalanced

adjective

un·​bal·​anced ˌən-ˈba-lən(t)st 

: not balanced: such as

a

: not in equilibrium

b

: mentally disordered : affected with mental illness

c

: not adjusted so as to make credits equal to debits

an unbalanced account

Synonyms

• balmy
• barmy [chiefly British]
• bats
• batty
• bedlam
• bonkers
• brainsick
• bughouse [slang]
• certifiable
• crackbrained
• cracked
• crackers
• crackpot
• cranky [dialect]
• crazed
• crazy
• cuckoo
• daffy
• daft
• demented
• deranged
• fruity [slang]
• gaga
• haywire
• insane
• kooky
• kookie
• loco [slang]
• loony
• looney
• loony tunes
• looney tunes
• lunatic
• mad
• maniacal
• maniac
• mental
• meshuga
• meshugge
• meshugah
• meshuggah
• moonstruck
• non compos mentis
• nuts
• nutty
• psycho
• psychotic
• scatty [chiefly British]
• screwy
• unhinged
• unsound
• wacko
• whacko
• wacky
• whacky
• wud [chiefly Scottish]

Examples of unbalanced in a Sentence

He's been eating an unbalanced diet.

horrific crimes that obviously were committed by a very unbalanced person

Recent Examples on the Web

The unbalanced nature of the 2025 Guidelines, compared to the 2016 Guidance statement, might dissuade employers from considering some contracts that could enhance employment opportunities. —Alden Abbott, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025

The 2024 election of Donald J. Trump is a choose-your-own-adventure of misery for our unbalanced elites. —Grace Curley, Boston Herald, 13 Nov. 2024

On Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams expressed frustration at the difficulty of keeping unbalanced people out of the system. —Andy Newman, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025

Newton’s first law of motion states that an object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion … unless acted on by an unbalanced [outside] force. —Eli Amdur, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

unbalanced

adjective

un·​bal·​anced ˌən-ˈbal-ən(t)st 

1

: not in a state of balance

2

: not completely sane

3

: not adjusted so as to make credits equal to debits

an unbalanced account

Medical Definition

unbalanced

adjective

un·​bal·​anced ˌən-ˈbal-ən(t)st 

: mentally disordered : affected with mental illness

an unbalanced mind