as in cargo
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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ballast
Before arriving in North America, the species is believed to have invaded South American rivers through ballast water—the fresh or saltwater that is held on ships.
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Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
The gun-wielding security man climbed on top to give it ballast.
—Dan Morrison, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
Rush had told passengers there was a problem with the variable ballast tank valve, according to Ross.
—Ray Sanchez and Graham Hurley, CNN, 22 Sep. 2024
Two spirits, apple brandy and bourbon, are the ballast, and cinnamon syrup, lemon juice and Angostura bitters are the enliveners.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ballast 
Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
The gun-wielding security man climbed on top to give it ballast.
—Dan Morrison, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
Rush had told passengers there was a problem with the variable ballast tank valve, according to Ross.
—Ray Sanchez and Graham Hurley, CNN, 22 Sep. 2024
Two spirits, apple brandy and bourbon, are the ballast, and cinnamon syrup, lemon juice and Angostura bitters are the enliveners.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ballast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballast
Noun
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The medium-sized cargo delivery and vans could grow to $200 billion.Pat Maio, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024
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It’s estimated about 53,000 trips are taken across the bridge daily, about 9% of those by heavy cargo trucks.Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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According to supply chain data firm Sonar, spot freight prices did spike in July due to the combination of peak shipping season and the pull forwards happening ahead of the strike, with prices for a 40-foot container running as high as $9,000-$10,000.Lori Ann LaRocco, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2024
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Closing in on their 2027 launch timing, Torc says that the first live driverless operations will be on the freight lane between DFW and Laredo.Richard Bishop, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Amazon Perhaps the best 4K streamer for folks who watch loads of Amazon Prime shows and movies, this Fire Stick is very easy to set up and use, supports Wi-Fi 6E for fast and stable streaming, and packs 16 gigabytes of storage.Simon Hill, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024
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Watch on Deadline The lighter ad load for streaming would seem to make viewing more tolerable, and yet the ad experience can be even worse.Jonathan Bing, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The program will use cameras on buses to automatically ticket downtown drivers parked illegally in bus lanes, bike lanes and loading zones.Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Oct. 2024
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As a result, inventory to be shipped may not be at the loading dock in the right quantities, labor may not be properly scheduled for loading/unloading or inventory may still need to be moved between warehouses.Keith Moore, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Since loads change mostly in the vehicle’s cargo area, this also facilitates strong payload and towing capacities, will make lifting the vehicle easy, and enhances articulation over off-road obstacles.Wes Siler, Outside Online, 24 Oct. 2024
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The launch was far from simply a test flight, as the vehicle carried 12 payloads, mostly for research purposes.Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
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One example can be as simple as shipments that are missing bills of lading or origin documents.Forbes, Forbes, 1 June 2021
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According to bills of lading and other records provided to the San Antonio Express-News by officials at 23 food banks, CRE8AD8 delivered about 147,000 boxes total to food banks.Tom Orsborn, ExpressNews.com, 1 July 2020
Noun
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Appointments were elusive, follow-ups were nonexistent and coordination burdens fell heavily on us—the patient and their family members.Chris Bowen, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
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The financial burden of a college education is massive for many American families.Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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That represented 68% of the vessels when measured by deadweight, and the lowest number of tankers tracked with IG club insurance, surpassing 67% uninsured recorded in July and August.Lori Ann LaRocco, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024
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Getting rid of deadweight and dealing with unsatisfactory situations will lighten your burden and make room for investing more time in yourself and what brings you joy.Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near ballast
Cite this Entry
“Ballast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballast. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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