balancing act

noun

plural balancing acts

: an attempt to handle or deal with two or more things (such as obligations) at one time so as to satisfy often competing requirements

"It's a difficult balancing act between celebrating the past and making room for the future."

—Jeffrey Brown

Vegas might be the starkest example of what the hospitality industry faces across the country: a delicate balancing act between bringing back jobs and revenue and keeping workers and customers safe from a virus that's killed more than 100,000 Americans.

—Dave Jamieson

It's a balancing act between appreciation, education and safety. Earlier this year, London city council voted to tighten up a parks bylaw that restricts the amount of food residents can feed to wild animals.

—Megan Stacey

Examples of balancing act in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But this creates the ultimate supply chain balancing act. —Richard Howells, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

Maroney and others are working on a balancing act to try to foster regulation at the same time as Lamont and others are concerned about restricting the growth of artificial intelligence. —Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 15 Jan. 2025

The show’s run was a balancing act between featuring high-octane, buzzy works (à la Babygirl or Anora) and a slew of timely, educational films. —Sam Falb, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025

Maintaining a healthy and diverse lawn is a balancing act. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above