Learn English – What’s the meaning of “level out” in this context

meaning-in-contextphrase-meaning

I found this sentence on the internet:

Seems like society leveled itself out once again.

What does level out mean here? I have looked up OALD, and it defines level out/off as:

level off/out
1 to stop rising or falling and remain horizontal.
The plane levelled off at 1500 feet.
After the long hill, the road levelled out.
2 to stay at a steady level of development or progress after a period of sharp rises or falls.
Sales have levelled off after a period of rapid growth.

However, I'm not quite sure whether either of them fits the context.

Best Answer

I couldn't find OALD, but I believe that the online Oxford Dictionary should be close enough. A similar definition for level out/off can be found under verb sense 2.

2 [no object] (level off/out) begin to fly horizontally after climbing or diving:
he quickly levelled off at 1500 ft
- (of a path, road, or incline) cease to slope:
the track levelled out and there below us was the bay
- remain at a steady level after falling or rising:
inflation has levelled out at an acceptable rate

This definition is for level out being used as an intransitive verb (denoted by [no object]), which is quite different from your quoted sentence:

"Seems like society leveled itself out once again."

where sense 1 (give a flat and even surface to) and sense 3 (make [something, especially a score in sport] equal or similar) are more relevant.

Thus, the phrase society leveled itself out should not be understood as the society has changed its direction to continue at a steady level. (It might be possible if it were about the future direction of economy.) In this context, it just means: everyone has an equal chance.

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