Avvägas

Avvägas is the present passive form of the Swedish verb avväga. Avväga means to weigh or balance, often in the sense of evaluating relative importance or suitability. When used in its passive form, avvägas indicates that something is being weighed against something else, rather than being weighed directly by a particular actor. The construction is common in formal, analytical, and policy or decision-making contexts, where different factors must be balanced.

In practice, avvägas is typically followed by a comparison term such as mot or against, for example “riskerna avvägs mot kostnaderna” or “fördelarna avvägs mot nackdelarna.” The noun form avvägning denotes the act of weighing or balancing, and related expressions include väga, jämföra and vägning. The phrase is frequently used in risk assessments, cost-benefit analyses, and strategic planning to describe how factors are weighed to reach a conclusion.

Examples illustrate its use: “Riskerna avvägs mot möjligheterna”; “Kostnaden avvägs mot nyttan”; “Beslutet avvägdes noggrant mellan snabbhet och noggrannhet.” In everyday language, avvägningar can refer to compromises between competing goals or values, not only quantitative calculations. The verb is formed from av- plus väga, with the sense of setting elements against one another.

Etymology and related terms: avväga comes from the prefix av- combined with väga (to weigh). Related nouns include avvägning and avvägningens konsekvenser; English equivalents include to weigh against, to balance, or to weigh up. For Swedish language use, avvägas signals a analytical or evaluative stance rather than spontaneous action.