aufwiegen

Aufwiegen is a German verb meaning to balance against or to outweigh, especially in evaluating competing factors. It describes the act of weighing positives and negatives so as to determine an overall effect or conclusion. The prefix auf- attached to wiegen conveys counterbalancing or offsetting; the phrase is typically used with a noun phrase representing gains and losses. In usage, it is common to say Die Vorteile wiegen die Nachteile auf, meaning that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The costs or harms may be aufgewogen by profits, benefits, or compensatory measures, as in Die Kosten wurden durch Einsparungen aufgewogen.

In legal, economic, or ethical discussions, aufwiegen is used to indicate a comparison where one side’s gains offset the other’s losses. The term is closely related to, but not always interchangeable with, ausgleichen or kompensieren. Ausgleichen emphasizes restoring balance; aufwiegen emphasizes the net comparison of factors, not necessarily an absolute equivalence.

Etymology: The word is formed from auf- (counter-) and wiegen (to weigh). It can appear in different tenses, with perfect: aufgewogen; present: wiegen auf; past: wog auf.

See also: ausgleichen, kompensieren, balancieren.