as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective hard work can often be a counterweight to modest intelligence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of counterweight Law portrays a younger Putin, depicted as ruthlessly calculating and enigmatic, while Alicia Vikander plays Ksenia, Baranov’s lover and moral counterweight. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025 Broadhead provides the counterweight. Lela London, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 Trump sees lower interest rates as a pathway to manage the swelling federal debt while boosting a housing market that has been a counterweight to an otherwise growing economy. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2025 India’s presence at the event is the most telling example yet of the warming ties between the two Asian powers – a budding realignment that threatens to undo years-long US efforts to cultivate New Delhi as a counterweight against a rising and increasingly assertive China. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for counterweight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterweight
Noun
  • From the industry side, properties that promote energy-saving certifications or offer carbon-offset partnerships tend to stand out in search results and get more interest.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Offsetting that — and there does seem to be an offset for everything — are the dramatic cutbacks in drilling as a result of the decline in oil prices.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Given City’s soft centre has come from a failure to cope with counter-attacks and a lack of pace to defend in a high line, Khusanov may just be the blunt force antidote Guardiola needs.
    Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
  • An available 138-L compressor drawer fridge with 12-L freezer takes up the bulk of the under-counter foundation, providing loads of space for perishables.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Nonetheless, with policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance.
    Adeola Adeosun Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The result is a fragrance that strikes the right balance between clean and confectionery, with a softness that’s like being wrapped in a cashmere blanket.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Initially powered by a water counterbalance system, it was soon converted to steam in 1886 and later electrified by 1915.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The counterbalance to this setup is that unemployment remains low.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The 2025 College Rankings from Washington Monthly offer a corrective.
    Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • That makes Leo’s ascension well timed to offer a corrective.
    Mike Burbach, Twin Cities, 15 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Counterweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterweight. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on counterweight

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!