Synonyms of ballast

ballast

noun

as in cargo

heavy material (such as rocks or water) that is put on a ship to make it steady or on a balloon to control its height in the air

—often used figuratively

A large amount of ballast kept the boat from capsizing.

She provided the ballast the family needed in times of stress.

Related Words

• cargo
• freight
• load
• loading
• payload
• lading
• burden
• deadweight
• draft
• weight
• haul
• overload
• consignment
• carload
• shipment
• bale
• truckload
• package
• surcharge
• wagonload
• shipload
• boatload
• trainload
• bulk
• packet
• bundle
• pack
• parcel
• manifest
• body
• mass

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ballast

That means multiple family members can drive the same kart, and if there’s a minimum weight requirement in your class, there’s space for 33 pounds (15 kilograms) of ballast. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 10 Sep. 2026

Moss-Bachrach, grizzled and heartbreaking as the father, gives the film its ballast. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

The arrival of Stan Kroenke, whose sports empire includes the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Premier League’s Arsenal, among others, brings with it ballast. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026

For most investors, bonds are a component of their accounts and usually (though not always) provide a ballast against stock volatility. — Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026