Library / English Dictionary

IMBALANCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

(mathematics) a lack of symmetry

Synonyms:

asymmetry; dissymmetry; imbalance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("imbalance" is a kind of...):

spatial property; spatiality (any property relating to or occupying space)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "imbalance"):

geometrical irregularity; irregularity (an irregular asymmetry in shape; an irregular spatial pattern)

lopsidedness; skewness (an oblique or slanting asymmetry)

radial asymmetry (the absence of symmetry about an axis)

handedness; laterality (the property of using one hand more than the other)

footedness (the property of favoring one foot over the other (as in kicking a ball))

eyedness (the property of favoring one eye over the other (as in taking aim))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A lack of balance or state of disequilibrium

Example:

a hormonal imbalance

Synonyms:

imbalance; instability; unbalance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("imbalance" is a kind of...):

disequilibrium (loss of equilibrium attributable to an unstable situation in which some forces outweigh others)

Antonym:

balance (a state of equilibrium)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Imbalances can cause serious physiologic effects, including seizures, cardiac arrhythmias and convulsions.

(Electrolytes, NCI Thesaurus)

Increased myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity is expected to increase the ATP utilization by actomyosin at submaximal Ca2+ concentrations, which might cause an imbalance in energy supply and demand in the heart under severe stress.

(Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

Increased acidity in the blood secondary to acid base imbalance.

(Metabolic acidosis, NCI Thesaurus)

A disorder characterized by dizziness, imbalance, nausea, and vision problems.

(Inner Ear Disorder, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

An imbalance in the regulation of two contrasting events, bone resorption and bone formation, results in many of the metabolic bone diseases, such as OSTEOPOROSIS.

(Innate Bone Remodeling, NCI Thesaurus)

A mixture containing electrolytes used to prevent or treat electrolyte imbalance that can be caused by abnormal levels of sodium, magnesium, phosphate, chloride, bicarbonate and/or potassium.

(Electrolyte Replacement Preparation, NCI Thesaurus)

Gynecomastia in infants and boys may be caused by an imbalance in certain hormones.

(Gynecomastia, NCI Dictionary)

This sub-category deals with unconventional approaches whose purpose is to screen for and prevent health-related imbalances, dysfunction's and disease.

(Clinical Preventive Practices, NCI Thesaurus)

The combination of simultaneous resorption and deposition creates continual remodeling of bone while excess osteoclast activity leads to an imbalance and a loss of bone density, causing osteoporosis.

(Bone Remodeling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

At the same time, her microbiome has decreased levels of Proteobacteria species, which are often associated with unhealthy microbial imbalances.

(Species Shifts in the Honey Bee Microbiome Differ with Age and Hive Role, U.S. Department of Agriculture)