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

Integrating Gig Workers With Full-Time Employees Integrating gig workers with full-time employees can be a delicate balancing act. —Hassan Choughari, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024

Developing advertising that is topical and resonates with consumers is a balancing act for brands. —Michelle Greenwald, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024

North Node in Libra/South Node in Aries Life is a balancing act! —Lisa Stardust, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2024

Read More: Where Tim Walz Stands on the Issues This is a very delicate balancing act. —Julia Sonnevend, TIME, 8 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above