counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt 
1
: one of two corresponding copies of a legal instrument : duplicate
2
a
: a thing that fits another perfectly
b
: something that completes : complement
the lead actress and her male counterpart
3
a
: one remarkably similar to another
The crow is sometimes mistaken for its larger counterpart, the raven.
b
: one having the same function or characteristics as another
college presidents and their counterparts in business
Examples of counterpart in a Sentence
The secretary of defense met with his counterparts in Asia to discuss the nuclear crisis.
Metal tools replaced their stone counterparts many, many years ago.
the lead actress and her male counterpart
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump’s meetings with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, began at the Great Hall of the People moments after a welcome ceremony that seemed to impress the president, featuring a Chinese military honor guard and a greeting from excited schoolchildren.
—
Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Matthews’s numbers are still worth watching, but Footer gives Matthews’s male counterparts perhaps too much credit.
—Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Instead, the cabinet secretary taking the lead on steering the world’s most consequential bilateral ties has been Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who met his Chinese counterpart in Seoul ahead of the summit in Beijing.
—Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
In the past, artificial greenery may have looked, well, fake—but today’s faux plants are a far cry from their dusty counterparts.
—Kate Donovan, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterpart
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Matthews’s numbers are still worth watching, but Footer gives Matthews’s male counterparts perhaps too much credit.
—Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Instead, the cabinet secretary taking the lead on steering the world’s most consequential bilateral ties has been Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who met his Chinese counterpart in Seoul ahead of the summit in Beijing.
—Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
In the past, artificial greenery may have looked, well, fake—but today’s faux plants are a far cry from their dusty counterparts.
—Kate Donovan, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterpart
Cite this Entry
“Counterpart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterpart. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌpärt
1
: a part or thing that matches another
the left arm is the counterpart of the right
2
: something that serves to complete something else : complement
3
: a person closely resembling another
Legal Definition
counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt
: one of two corresponding or duplicate copies of a legal instrument
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
