noun Uncommon

ballast

BAL-uhst

Ballast (noun) means Heavy material carried in a ship, balloon, or vehicle to provide stability. Example: “The old ship carried stone ballast in its hold to keep it steady at sea.”

noun

Heavy material carried in a ship, balloon, or vehicle to provide stability.

"The old ship carried stone ballast in its hold to keep it steady at sea."

Crushed stone or gravel laid down to form a stable bed for a road or railway track.

"Workers spread fresh ballast along the section of track before laying new sleepers."

verb

To stabilise something by loading it with heavy material.

"The crew ballasted the vessel before setting out into rough water."

How to use ballast

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHeavy material used to keep something steady, whether a ship, balloon, or railway bed.

Common pairings

ballast tank railway ballast

Word forms

ballasted past tense, ballasts plural, ballasts singular

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Fill the gap

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The old ship carried stone _____ in its hold to keep it steady at sea.

Etymology

From Middle English, combining words meaning "bare" and "load."

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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barretter light ballast ballast resistor

Frequently asked questions

What does “ballast” mean?

The word “ballast” means heavy material carried in a ship, balloon, or vehicle to provide stability. In plain terms, heavy material used to keep something steady, whether a ship, balloon, or railway bed.

How do you pronounce “ballast”?

“Ballast” is pronounced BAL-uhst (/ˈbæl.əst/ in IPA).

How do you use “ballast” in a sentence?

Here is “ballast” used in a sentence: “The old ship carried stone ballast in its hold to keep it steady at sea.”

What part of speech is “ballast”?

Depending on how it is used, “ballast” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “ballast” come from?

The word “ballast” comes from Middle English. From Middle English, combining words meaning "bare" and "load.".

Is “ballast” a common word?

“Ballast” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “ballast” have?

“Ballast” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: heavy material carried in a ship, balloon, or vehicle to provide stability.

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Vocabulary lists that include ballast:

Words with old & middle English origins