Balance vs. Poise — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 20, 2024
Balance refers to a state of stability or equilibrium, often physical, while poise denotes graceful composure or balance, especially in how someone carries themselves.
Difference Between Balance and Poise
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Balance is primarily concerned with achieving a state of equilibrium, where forces or influences are equally distributed to prevent falling or failing. This concept is crucial in physical contexts, such as in balancing on a beam, where the goal is to distribute one's weight evenly to remain upright. Poise, on the other hand, extends beyond the physical to include a mental or emotional equilibrium, characterized by a calm, confident manner, especially under pressure or scrutiny.
While balance can be applied to various fields, including mathematics, physics, and finance, indicating a point where different elements are in proportion or harmony, poise is more commonly associated with personal demeanor or bearing. For example, a well-balanced diet consists of the right proportions of nutrients, whereas a person with poise handles stressful situations with grace and confidence.
Balance is also a key principle in design and aesthetics, where elements are arranged to create visual harmony and stability. In contrast, poise in this context might refer to the effortless elegance or balance achieved in a composition, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of balance that incorporates aesthetic judgment.
In the realm of mental health and wellbeing, achieving balance might involve managing various aspects of one's life, such as work, relationships, and personal growth, to foster overall stability and happiness. Poise, in this sense, could be seen as the manifestation of this balance in how one presents themselves to the world, maintaining composure even when faced with challenges.
Both balance and poise are desirable qualities, but they operate on different levels. Balance is often a prerequisite for poise; one must first achieve balance in various aspects of life to exhibit poise. However, poise adds an element of elegance and self-assurance that transcends mere physical or emotional stability.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Equilibrium or stability in physical, emotional, or conceptual aspects.
Graceful and confident manner of carrying oneself, reflecting emotional stability.
Key Contexts
Physical stability, finances, aesthetics.
Personal demeanor, emotional resilience.
Example Usage
Balancing a checkbook, a balanced argument.
Maintaining poise under pressure.
Associated Concepts
Equilibrium, harmony, proportion.
Composure, grace, elegance.
Outcome
Stability and harmony in various domains.
Graceful stability, especially in behavior and response to challenges.
Compare with Definitions
Balance
Maintaining stability of the body.
He lost his balance and fell.
Poise
Carrying oneself with elegance.
Her poise was evident in her walk.
Balance
Presenting equal viewpoints.
A balanced report offers multiple perspectives.
Poise
Reflecting balanced emotions and behavior.
His poise in negotiations won them the deal.
Balance
Achieving a steady emotional state.
She strives for balance in her personal life.
Poise
Maintaining composure in stressful situations.
He answered with poise.
Balance
Equalizing income and expenditure.
Their primary goal is to balance the budget.
Poise
Exhibiting calmness and self-assurance.
Despite the chaos, she remained poised.
Balance
Distributing elements evenly in design.
The artist achieved balance in her composition.
Poise
Demonstrating grace in actions or movements.
The dancer's poise captivated the audience.
Balance
See Libra.
Poise
Graceful and elegant bearing in a person
Poise and good deportment can be cultivated
Balance
A weighing device, especially one consisting of a rigid beam horizontally suspended by a low-friction support at its center, with identical weighing pans hung at either end, one of which holds an unknown weight while the effective weight in the other is increased by known amounts until the beam is level and motionless. Also called scale.
Poise
Balance; equilibrium
The balance has passed the point where the spring is in poise
Balance
A state of equilibrium or parity characterized by cancellation of all forces by equal opposing forces.
Poise
A unit of dynamic viscosity, such that a tangential force of one dyne per square centimetre causes a velocity change one centimetre per second between two parallel planes separated by one centimetre in a liquid.
Balance
The power or means to decide
Matters that fell outside the judge's balance.
Poise
Be or cause to be balanced or suspended
He poised motionless on his toes
The world was poised between peace and war
Balance
A state of bodily equilibrium
Thrown off balance by a gust of wind.
Poise
To carry or hold in equilibrium; balance
I poised the pencil on the edge of the table.
Balance
The ability to maintain bodily equilibrium
Gymnasts must have good balance.
Poise
To cause to be ready or about to do something
She is poised to win the nomination.
Balance
A harmonious or satisfying arrangement or proportion of parts or elements, as in a design.
Poise
To be balanced or held in suspension
She poised at the end of the diving board.
Balance
An influence or force tending to produce equilibrium; counterpoise.
Poise
Confident composure; self-possession
Answered the reporters' questions with poise.
Balance
The difference in magnitude between opposing forces or influences.
Poise
Bearing of the body, especially when graceful
A ballerina's poise.
Balance
Equality of totals in the debit and credit sides of an account.
Poise
A centimeter-gram-second unit of dynamic viscosity equal to one dyne-second per square centimeter.
Balance
The difference between such totals, either on the credit or the debit side.
Poise
A state of balance, equilibrium or stability.
Balance
Something that is left over; a remainder.
Poise
Composure; freedom from embarrassment or affectation.
Balance
(Chemistry) Equality of mass and net electric charge of reacting species on each side of an equation.
Poise
Mien; bearing or deportment of the head or body.
Balance
(Mathematics) Equality with respect to the net number of reduced symbolic quantities on each side of an equation.
Poise
A condition of hovering, or being suspended.
Balance
A balance wheel.
Poise
(physics) A CGS unit of dynamic viscosity equal to one dyne-second per square centimetre.
Balance
To determine the weight of (something) in a weighing device.
Poise
(obsolete) Weight; an amount of weight, the amount something weighs.
Balance
To consider and compare or assess
Balanced the pros and cons before making a choice.
Poise
The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance the substance weighed.
Balance
To bring into or maintain in a state of equilibrium.
Poise
That which causes a balance; a counterweight.
Balance
To act as an equalizing weight or force to; counterbalance.
Poise
(obsolete) To hang in equilibrium; to be balanced or suspended; hence, to be in suspense or doubt.
Balance
To compute the difference between the debits and credits of (an account).
Poise
(obsolete) To counterpoise; to counterbalance.
Balance
To reconcile or equalize the sums of the debits and credits of (an account).
Poise
(obsolete) To be of a given weight; to weigh.
Balance
To settle (an account, for example) by paying what is owed.
Poise
(obsolete) To add weight to, to weigh down.
Balance
To bring into or keep in equal or satisfying proportion or harmony.
Poise
To hold (something) with or against something else in equilibrium; to balance, counterpose.
Balance
Mathematics & Chemistry To bring (an equation) into balance.
Poise
To hold (something) in equilibrium, to hold balanced and ready; to carry (something) ready to be used.
I poised the crowbar in my hand, and waited.
To poise the scales of a balance
Balance
To move toward and then away from (a dance partner).
Poise
To keep (something) in equilibrium; to hold suspended or balanced.
The rock was poised precariously on the edge of the cliff.
Balance
To be in or come into equilibrium.
Poise
To ascertain, as if by balancing; to weigh.
Balance
To be equal or equivalent.
Poise
Weight; gravity; that which causes a body to descend; heaviness.
Balance
To sway or waver as if losing or regaining equilibrium.
Poise
The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance the substance weighed.
Balance
To move toward and then away from a dance partner.
Poise
The state of being balanced by equal weight or power; equipoise; balance; equilibrium; rest.
Balance
(uncountable) A state in which opposing forces harmonise; equilibrium.
Poise
That which causes a balance; a counterweight.
Men of unbounded imagination often want the poise of judgment.
Balance
(uncountable) Mental equilibrium; mental health; calmness, a state of remaining clear-headed and unperturbed.
Poise
A dignified and self-confident manner; graceful composure and tact in handling difficult social situations.
Balance
Something of equal weight used to provide equilibrium; counterweight.
These weights are used as a balance for the overhanging verandah
Blair thought he could provide a useful balance to Bush's policies.
Poise
To balance; to make of equal weight; as, to poise the scales of a balance.
Balance
A pair of scales.
Poise
To hold or place in equilibrium or equiponderance.
Nor yet was earth suspended in the sky;Nor poised, did on her own foundation lie.
Balance
(uncountable) Awareness of both viewpoints or matters; neutrality; rationality; objectivity.
Poise
To counterpoise; to counterbalance.
One scale of reason to poise another of sensuality.
To poise with solid sense a sprightly wit.
Balance
(uncountable) The overall result of conflicting forces, opinions etc.; the influence which ultimately "weighs" more than others.
The balance of power finally lay with the Royalist forces.
I think the balance of opinion is that we should get out while we're ahead.
Poise
To ascertain, as by the balance; to weigh.
He can not sincerely consider the strength, poise the weight, and discern the evidence.
Balance
(uncountable) Apparent harmony in art (between differing colours, sounds, etc.).
Poise
To weigh (down); to oppress.
Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow.
Balance
(accounting) A list accounting for the debits on one side, and for the credits on the other.
Poise
To hang in equilibrium; to be balanced or suspended; hence, to be in suspense or doubt.
The slender, graceful sparsPoise aloft in air.
Balance
(accounting) The result of such a procedure; the difference between credit and debit of an account.
I just need to nip to a bank and check my balance.
Poise
A cgs unit of dynamic viscosity equal to one dyne-second per square centimeter; the viscosity of a fluid in which a force of one dyne per square centimeter maintains a velocity of 1 centimeter per second
Balance
(watchmaking) A device used to regulate the speed of a watch, clock etc.
Poise
A state of being balanced in a stable equilibrium
Balance
The remainder.
The balance of the agreement remains in effect.
The invoice said he had only paid $50. The balance was $220.
Poise
Great coolness and composure under strain;
Keep your cool
Balance
Libra.
Poise
Be motionless, in suspension;
The bird poised for a few moments before it attacked
Balance
(transitive) To bring (items) to an equipoise, as the scales of a balance by adjusting the weights.
Poise
Prepare (oneself) for something unpleasant or difficult
Balance
To make (concepts) agree.
Poise
Cause to be balanced or suspended
Balance
(transitive) To hold (an object or objects) precariously; to support on a narrow base, so as to keep from falling.
I balanced my mug of coffee on my knee.
The circus performer balances a plate on the end of a baton.
Poise
Hold or carry in equilibrium
Balance
(transitive) To compare in relative force, importance, value, etc.; to estimate.
Balance
To move toward, and then back from, reciprocally.
To balance partners
Balance
(nautical) To contract, as a sail, into a narrower compass.
To balance the boom mainsail
Balance
(transitive) To make the credits and debits of (an account) correspond.
This final payment, or credit, balances the account.
To balance a set of books
Balance
(intransitive) To be in equilibrium.
Balance
(intransitive) To have matching credits and debits.
Balance
To weigh in a balance.
Balance
To hesitate or fluctuate.
Balance
An apparatus for weighing.
Balance
Act of weighing mentally; comparison; estimate.
A fair balance of the advantages on either side.
Balance
Equipoise between the weights in opposite scales.
Balance
The state of being in equipoise; equilibrium; even adjustment; steadiness.
And hung a bottle on each sideTo make his balance true.
The order and balance of the country were destroyed.
English workmen completely lose their balance.
Balance
An equality between the sums total of the two sides of an account; as, to bring one's accounts to a balance; - also, the excess on either side; as, the balance of an account.
I still think the balance of probabilities leans towards the account given in the text.
Balance
A balance wheel, as of a watch, or clock. See Balance wheel (in the Vocabulary).
Balance
The constellation Libra.
Balance
To bring to an equipoise, as the scales of a balance by adjusting the weights; to weigh in a balance.
Balance
To support on a narrow base, so as to keep from falling; as, to balance a plate on the end of a cane; to balance one's self on a tight rope.
Balance
To equal in number, weight, force, or proportion; to counterpoise, counterbalance, counteract, or neutralize.
One expression . . . must check and balance another.
Balance
To compare in relative force, importance, value, etc.; to estimate.
Balance the good and evil of things.
Balance
To settle and adjust, as an account; to make two accounts equal by paying the difference between them.
I am very well satisfied that it is not in my power to balance accounts with my Maker.
Balance
To make the sums of the debits and credits of an account equal; - said of an item; as, this payment, or credit, balances the account.
Balance
To arrange accounts in such a way that the sum total of the debits is equal to the sum total of the credits; as, to balance a set of books.
Balance
To move toward, and then back from, reciprocally; as, to balance partners.
Balance
To contract, as a sail, into a narrower compass; as, to balance the boom mainsail.
Balance
To have equal weight on each side; to be in equipoise; as, the scales balance.
Balance
To fluctuate between motives which appear of equal force; to waver; to hesitate.
He would not balance or err in the determination of his choice.
Balance
To move toward a person or couple, and then back.
Balance
A state of equilibrium
Balance
A scale for weighing; depends on pull of gravity
Balance
Equality between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account
Balance
Harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements within a whole (as in a design);
In all perfectly beautiful objects there is found the opposition of one part to another and a reciprocal balance
Balance
Equality of distribution
Balance
Something left after other parts have been taken away;
There was no remainder
He threw away the rest
He took what he wanted and I got the balance
Balance
The difference between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account
Balance
(astrology) a person who is born while the sun in in Libra
Balance
The seventh sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about September 23 to October 22
Balance
(mathematics) an attribute of a shape or relation; exact correspondence of form on opposite sides of a dividing line or plane
Balance
An equivalent counterbalancing weight
Balance
A wheel that regulates the rate of movement in a machine; especially a wheel oscillating against the hairspring of a timepiece to regulate its beat
Balance
Bring into balance or equilibrium;
She has to balance work and her domestic duties
Balance the two weights
Balance
Compute credits and debits of an account
Balance
Hold or carry in equilibrium
Balance
Be in equilibrium;
He was balancing on one foot
Common Curiosities
Can balance exist without poise?
Yes, one can achieve balance, such as in physical or financial aspects, without necessarily displaying poise.
How do balance and poise relate in the context of mental health?
Achieving balance in life's aspects can lead to emotional stability, which is reflected in one's poised demeanor.
Can you have poise without balance?
Poise often stems from balance, particularly emotional or mental; however, one can appear poised even in unbalanced situations through confidence and grace.
Is poise always related to physical posture?
While often associated with physical bearing, poise also encompasses emotional stability and confidence.
What is the main difference between balance and poise?
Balance refers to a state of equilibrium across various aspects, while poise is about graceful composure and confidence.
Can balance be measured, and if so, how?
Balance can be quantified in contexts like finances (via budgets) and physical stability (through tests), but emotional balance is more subjective.
What role does poise play in leadership?
Poise is crucial in leadership for maintaining composure, making balanced decisions, and inspiring confidence under pressure.
Do balance and poise carry the same importance in all cultures?
Cultural values influence the emphasis on balance and poise, with some cultures prioritizing these qualities more than others in different contexts.
In what way does poise impact personal relationships?
Poise can positively affect relationships by enabling calm, confident interactions and demonstrating emotional maturity.
How is balance important in design?
In design, balance creates visual harmony and stability by evenly distributing elements within a composition.
Is poise considered a form of intelligence?
While not a conventional form of intelligence, poise can reflect emotional intelligence through the management of one’s emotions and reactions.
How does society view the importance of balance and poise?
Society generally values both qualities, seeing balance as essential for well-being and poise as indicative of confidence and competence.
Is poise a natural trait or can it be developed?
While some may naturally exhibit poise, it can also be cultivated through practice, experience, and mindfulness.
How does achieving balance affect one's poise?
Achieving balance, especially emotionally and mentally, can enhance one's poise by fostering a calm and confident demeanor.
Can technological devices help in achieving balance?
Yes, various apps and devices are designed to help monitor and promote balance in health, finances, and time management.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
