as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective
charitable giving is usually a good counterbalance to the self-indulgent commercialism of the Christmas season
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
a hearty dinner might counterbalance missing lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of counterbalance
Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
That gives it notes of black pepper and baking spices like cinnamon, creeping into the fruit-forward palate to provide a counterbalance to the whiskey’s inherent sweetness.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2026
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
That uncertainty and rise in unemployment tends to fuel a near-term dip in demand for goods, which counterbalances the price increases from tariffs.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterbalance
Noun
Ironically, that war emboldened Iran, as the vicious Iraqi strongman was a regional counterbalance to the vicious mullahs.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
That gives it notes of black pepper and baking spices like cinnamon, creeping into the fruit-forward palate to provide a counterbalance to the whiskey’s inherent sweetness.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
Volume alone should counterbalance a difficult matchup against Christian Gonzalez.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
That uncertainty and rise in unemployment tends to fuel a near-term dip in demand for goods, which counterbalances the price increases from tariffs.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterbalance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterbalance
Noun
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Our Edition One package included 20-inch multispoke S-design wheels with a tri-color finish and black offset accents.—
Marc D Grasso,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
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Our Edition One package included 20-inch multispoke S-design wheels with a tri-color finish and black offset accents.—
Marc D. Grasso,
Boston Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Opponents will always think about putting lefties on the Phillies in an attempt to neutralize Harper and Kyle Schwarber.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Federal agents executed a court order to neutralize the US compromised routers by sending a series of commands to boot the Russian hackers out and prevent re-hijackings.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The older picture of Paul as the begetter of Christian antisemitism became, for obvious reasons, intolerable to many believing scholars after the Holocaust, and a counter-reading took shape that tried to return him to a sturdier Jewish setting.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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The condo has exposed brick and ducts, high ceilings, a large window, a reading nook, an open kitchen with concrete counters and a beverage fridge, and in-unit laundry.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Nuggets have won six games involving clutch time during the streak, correcting a trend of fourth-quarter execution issues.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
9 Apr. 2026
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Typically spring training is when a player wants these types of delivery and arm-action issues to pop up because there is ample opportunity to correct them.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But while the civil court found the war crimes allegations were mostly proven on a balance of probabilities, the war crime murder charges would have to be proved in a criminal court to a higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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But the actual balance was much lower.—
Carol Thompson,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In his best moments, former CPS CEO Pedro Martinez served as a counterweight to this kind of CTU extremism.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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One of his chief insights was that the government itself could be a balancing force, increasing or decreasing its spending like a counterweight.—
Alex Mayyasi,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Counterbalance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterbalance. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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