Hang in the balance Meaning in English
expression
HANG in thuh BAL-uhns
hang in thuh BAL-uhns
Definition
If something hangs in the balance, its outcome or future is not yet decided and could go either way.
Usage & Nuances
This is an idiomatic, semi-formal to formal phrase, often used in news, business, and serious conversations. Common with words like 'fate', 'future', 'decision'. Not literal—don't use for physical hanging.
Spanish: estar en juego - estar en la cuerda flojaPortuguese (BR): estar em jogo - depender do resultadoPortuguese (PT): estar em jogo - depender do resultadoChinese (Simplified): 悬而未决 - 尚未决定Chinese (Traditional): 懸而未決 - 尚未決定Hindi: अभी तय नहीं है - अनिश्चित होनाArabic: على المحك - لم يُحسم بعدBengali: অনিশ্চিত থাকা - ঝুঁকিতে থাকাRussian: находиться под вопросом - висеть на волоскеJapanese: 未定である - 危うい状態にあるVietnamese: đang trong tình trạng chưa ngã ngũ - chưa biết kết quảKorean: 불확실하다 - 위태롭다Turkish: belirsizlikte olmak - tehlikede olmakUrdu: غیریقینی صورتحال میں ہوناIndonesian: masih belum pasti - berada dalam ketidakpastian
Example Sentences
The election results hang in the balance.
basic
His job hangs in the balance after the mistake.
basic
The team's future hangs in the balance.
basic
After months of negotiations, the deal still hangs in the balance.
natural
People's lives hang in the balance during the storm.
natural
Right now, our travel plans hang in the balance because of the weather forecast.
natural