counterbalance

1 of 2

noun

coun·​ter·​bal·​ance ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌba-lən(t)s How to pronounce counterbalance (audio)
ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈba-
1
: a weight that balances another
2
: a force or influence that offsets or checks an opposing force

counterbalance

2 of 2

verb

coun·​ter·​bal·​ance ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈba-lən(t)s How to pronounce counterbalance (audio)
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌba-
counterbalanced; counterbalancing; counterbalances

transitive verb

1
: to oppose or balance with an equal weight or force
2
: to equip with counterbalances

Examples of counterbalance in a Sentence

Noun charitable giving is usually a good counterbalance to the self-indulgent commercialism of the Christmas season Verb The author's wry humor counterbalances the book's serious subject matter. a hearty dinner might counterbalance missing lunch
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Lane's own mother, the fearsome antiques maven Mrs. Kim (Emily Kuroda), is a whole different story, which makes her rock & roll rebellion the perfect counterbalance to Rory's bookish tendencies. Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Joy Randolph with a simple humor and gravity that counterbalance Giamatti’s endless variations on exasperation. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 16 Dec. 2023 His approach to personal publicity is a refreshing counterbalance to our mainstream culture’s uninhibited, incessant over-sharing. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2024 This is a rum built for sipping or, as Gosling Jr. suggested, using in a cocktail that needs a counterbalance to sweet flavors like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 22 Jan. 2024 God therefore hardened Pharaoh’s heart as a counterbalance, to provide Pharaoh the choice of allowing the Jews to leave not because he was coerced but out of true repentance. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2024 Nicer though, and not distracting, is how Kane’s shushing baritone acts as a pleasant counterbalance to the King’s weighty voice. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 15 Dec. 2023 In Oscar-winning writer-director Emerald Fennell’s twisted thriller Saltburn, Rosamund Pike is the deft comedic counterbalance. Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2023 The passenger pod becomes the counterbalance, moving forward and backward relative to the wheels. IEEE Spectrum, 1 Nov. 2023
Verb
High sales volume can counterbalance thin profit margins, while a low sales volume needs to be mitigated with higher margins to maintain viability. Melissa Houston, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024 To counterbalance the primary goal of clearing people from those sensitive areas, and to preempt constitutional challenges, the council also established a street engagement strategy requiring outreach to offer shelter or housing to everyone being ordered to leave. Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Vertical solar panels used on farmland can collect energy in the morning and evening, which counterbalances other solar plants, Hildebrandt explains. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2024 Genial and boisterous, Thompson has matured into a show-anchoring Everyman, all while mastering a razor-sharp underplaying style that counterbalances his performer's urge to go big. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2023 Chapman will always strike out a lot, which suppresses his batting average, but that’s counterbalanced by his high walk rate, above-average power, superb defense, and durability. Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Here, the demand for vast transaction data is counterbalanced by the weight of data privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. Kannan Venkatraman, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Visually, Jefferson and his director of photography, Cristina Dunlap, strove to counterbalance some of the movie’s more outrageous moments of comedy. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2024 Painfully innocent but intelligent, she’s singled out as a promising candidate for higher education by a teacher (the wonderful Lolly Adefope, from Miracle Workers) whose influence begins to counterbalance that of parents who think university is a waste of time in a world that’s ending. TIME, 25 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'counterbalance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterbalance was circa 1611

Dictionary Entries Near counterbalance

Cite this Entry

“Counterbalance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterbalance. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

counterbalance

1 of 2 noun
coun·​ter·​bal·​ance ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌbal-ən(t)s How to pronounce counterbalance (audio)
ˌkau̇nt-ər-ˈbal-
1
: a weight that balances another
2
: a force or influence that checks an opposing force

counterbalance

2 of 2 verb
: to oppose or balance with an equal weight or force

More from Merriam-Webster on counterbalance

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