equilibrate

verb

equil·​i·​brate i-ˈkwi-lə-ˌbrāt How to pronounce equilibrate (audio)
equilibrated; equilibrating

transitive verb

: to bring into or keep in equilibrium : balance

intransitive verb

: to bring about, come to, or be in equilibrium
equilibration noun
equilibrator noun
equilibratory adjective

Examples of equilibrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Not allowing enough time to equilibrate The most accurate results are obtained after sitting in a low-stress environment for five minutes, Serwer noted. Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025 But in that case, wouldn’t people from low-income areas just overflow to their empty beds, and then the system would equilibrate? Renee Hsia, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 So basically, until 1980, people tended to move to where wages were highest, and wages were slowly equilibrating between regions, and since 1980, people have begun moving towards where housing costs are low instead of where wages are high. Byalena Botros, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2023 Recall that immediately upon his inauguration as president in 1981, Ronald Reagan did the exact opposite by decontrolling energy prices, allowing markets to efficiently equilibrate in response to price signals. WSJ, 25 Sep. 2022 Margins have started coming back down to average, and sign prices are following as the market begins to equilibrate. Alex Kinnier, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2022 For one thing, there is no world gas market that causes prices to equilibrate the way there is for oil—or coal, wheat, lobsters, etc. Michael Lynch, Forbes, 30 June 2022 But unlike a diamond, this prethermal time crystal is not forever; if the experiment ran for long enough, the system would gradually equilibrate and the cyclical behavior would break down. Quanta Magazine, 2 Aug. 2021 There is no magic formula that says value and growth stocks must equilibrate. Mike Bird, WSJ, 10 May 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of equilibrate was in 1635

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Equilibrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equilibrate. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

equilibrate

verb
equil·​i·​brate i-ˈkwil-ə-ˌbrāt How to pronounce equilibrate (audio)
equilibrated; equilibrating

transitive verb

: to bring into or keep in equilibrium

intransitive verb

: to bring about, come to, or be in equilibrium
equilibration noun
equilibratory adjective

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