On an even keel Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Financial Stability Use the phrase to talk about recovering or maintaining financial balance. With the new investments, our company is getting back on an even keel. Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Balance It conveys emotional stability, particularly after a disturbance or chaos. After the breakup, it took a while, but she's now on an even keel. Pro Tip 3/3Project Management Use it to describe projects or tasks moving forward without major issues. The development team has worked hard to keep the project on an even keel.