Thesaurus results for BALLASTS

ballasts

noun

plural of ballast

as in cargoes

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.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of ballasts Federal officials recently launched a prize competition to reward ideas for controlling the flow of aquatic species into and out of the ballasts of boats that travel among the various lakes and waterways across the United States. —

Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 7 May 2026 Other items from the ship, including the ballasts that served as counterweights for the human cargo, are remaining on display and will be returned to South Africa in two years. —

Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026 Other items from the ship, including the ballasts that served as counterweights for the human cargo, are remaining on display and will be returned to South Africa in two years. —

ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026 Have bricks or river rocks concealed out of sight and ready to use as ballasts to hold the cloth in place against winds. —

Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2026 Cheaper options or knock-offs tend to come with flimsy sockets, buzzing ballasts, or unreliable switches, which can make rooms look cheap or dated far sooner than expected and even create fire hazards. —

Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballasts

Noun

Supply disruptions tied to Hormuz also have sent some buyers scrambling for new cargoes, including from the US.

— Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Beijing is not refusing to take cargoes.

— Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 12 May 2026