Outbalanced

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. being in a condition where one quality is exceeded or overshadowed by another experiencing a situation in which one's benefits or strengths are outmatched by competing aspects being in a state where an opposing factor diminishes one's effectiveness or value
2. Having been exceeded or outweighed by something stronger or more significant
3. Referring to a situation where one element is dominated or overbalanced by another

Etymology: "Outbalanced" is the past form of "outbalance," a verb built from "out-" and "balance." The base word "balance" traces back through Old French "balance" and Vulgar Latin "*bilancia" to Latin "bilanx," meaning "having two scales" or "two-pan," a compound of "bi-" (two) and "lanx" (dish or plate). The image is literal: an ancient scale holds one dish on each side, and the two must be even for the arm to sit level. The prefix "out-" carries the sense of surpassing. Its Old English ancestor "ūt" meant "outside" or "away," and in English it came to mean going beyond or exceeding something. So to outbalance something is to weigh more than it, tipping the scale in your favour. The verb's meaning follows that picture closely: one factor, once placed on the pan, outweighs everything on the other side.

Synonyms: overbalanced, outweighed, surpassed