BALANCE OF POWER Definition & Meaning

balance of power

noun

a distribution and opposition of forces among nations such that no single nation is strong enough to assert its will or dominate all the others.

balance of power

noun

the distribution of power among countries so that no one nation can seriously threaten the fundamental interests of another
any similar distribution of power or influence

balance of power

A state of peace that results when rival nations are equally powerful and therefore have no good reason to wage war.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of balance of power¹

First recorded in 1570–80

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The result is expected to have far-reaching implications, potentially even affecting the balance of power in the US Congress.

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The archaeologist told the BBC that if the helmet is indeed proved to have come from Denmark, it could change our understanding of the balance of power in 7th Century northern Europe.

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This is what deterrence to Russia looks like on the ground - and the base shows how much the balance of power can shift.

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To allow the president to wake up one morning and override those duly enacted laws turns the balance of power upon which our democracy rests upside down.

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California was home last fall to some of the nation’s most competitive congressional races, giving the state an outsize role in determining the balance of power in the House.

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