checks and balances: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, academic, political, legal, journalistic, corporate governance.
Quick answer
What does “checks and balances” mean?
A system of separate powers within an organization or government designed to prevent any single part from becoming too powerful by allowing each part to limit or oversee the others.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A system of separate powers within an organization or government designed to prevent any single part from becoming too powerful by allowing each part to limit or oversee the others.
More broadly, any set of procedures or mechanisms within a complex system (corporate, technical, social) where different components regulate, verify, or counterbalance each other to ensure stability, fairness, and prevent errors or abuse of power.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Concept is foundational to US political discourse due to the Constitution; more frequent in American English. In UK contexts, often discussed in relation to parliamentary sovereignty vs. separation of powers, or in corporate governance.
Connotations
US: Strongly constitutional, foundational governance principle. UK/EU: Often associated with institutional oversight, regulatory bodies, and corporate governance codes.
Frequency
Higher frequency in US political and civic discourse. In UK, common in political science, law, and business contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “checks and balances” in a Sentence
The [GOVERNING BODY] has established checks and balances to [PURPOSE].A lack of proper checks and balances led to [NEGATIVE OUTCOME].The [SYSTEM] relies on checks and balances between [PART A] and [PART B].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “checks and balances” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new regulations are designed to check the power of the executive and balance it with parliamentary oversight.
American English
- The court's role is to check legislative overreach and balance the interests of the states and the federal government.
adverb
British English
- The powers were distributed checks-and-balances style to prevent dominance by any single minister.
American English
- The system operates in a checks-and-balances manner, with each branch reviewing the others' actions.
adjective
British English
- The checks-and-balances mechanism in the treaty was subject to intense scrutiny.
American English
- A checks-and-balances approach is fundamental to the American system of government.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The company's audit committee is a key part of its financial checks and balances.
Academic
Montesquieu's theory of the separation of powers is the philosophical underpinning for modern systems of checks and balances.
Everyday
In our household budget, my partner and I have checks and balances to avoid overspending.
Technical
The software deployment pipeline includes automated checks and balances to prevent faulty code from reaching production.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “checks and balances”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “checks and balances”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “checks and balances”
- Using it as a plural countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'several checks and balances').
- Confusing it with simple 'monitoring' or 'auditing'. It implies a reciprocal relationship.
- Misspelling as 'checks and balances'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is treated as a singular concept despite the plural form of the words. You use a singular verb: 'The checks and balances is a key feature,' though notional agreement sometimes leads to a plural verb in informal speech.
Separation of powers refers to the division of government into distinct branches (legislative, executive, judicial). Checks and balances is the system that allows each branch to limit, or 'check', the powers of the others, thereby creating a 'balance' of power between them.
Absolutely. It is commonly used in business (corporate governance, accounting), technology (system design, cybersecurity), and any context where multiple parties or processes oversee each other to ensure integrity and prevent errors or corruption.
A common mistake is using it to refer to any kind of simple verification or audit. True 'checks and balances' implies reciprocity and mutual control between roughly co-equal parts of a system.
A system of separate powers within an organization or government designed to prevent any single part from becoming too powerful by allowing each part to limit or oversee the others.
Checks and balances is usually formal, academic, political, legal, journalistic, corporate governance. in register.
Checks and balances: in British English it is pronounced /ˌtʃeks ən ˈbæl.ən.sɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌtʃeks ən ˈbæl.ən.sɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A system of checks and balances”
- “To keep something in check (related concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chef (Executive), a food critic (Judiciary), and a restaurant owner (Legislature) in a kitchen. The chef cooks, but the owner can fire them, and the critic can ruin their reputation. Each checks the other, creating a balance.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNANCE IS A MECHANICAL/CYBERNETIC SYSTEM (with feedback loops, regulators, and controls). POWER IS A FLUID/FORCE that must be channelled and contained.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of 'checks and balances'?