countermeasure

noun

coun·​ter·​mea·​sure ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌme-zhər 

-ˌmā-

: an action or device designed to negate or offset another

The most well-known countermeasure by a physician is a malicious-persecution suit against the lawyer who sued him and failed to prove a case.

—William J. Curran

The Germans had developed a tricky magnetic mine, but the British had developed a countermeasure for this even before the mine was used.

—Bernard Brodie and Fawn M. Brodie

especially : electronic countermeasure

Examples of countermeasure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It can be used for ocean research, environmental monitoring, mapping the seabed, inspecting offshore energy sites, search-and-rescue, and mine countermeasures. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 17 June 2026

At the same time, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, housed within ASPR, is supporting medical countermeasures for current threats ranging from hantavirus to Ebola, including a new initiative to fund Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidates. —W. Craig Vanderwagen, STAT, 16 June 2026

Most Ebola countermeasure work has focused on the Ebola virus, which has caused larger outbreaks than Bundibugyo and was also treated as a potential biological warfare threat. —Paul Adepoju, Scientific American, 14 June 2026

Specialist herbivores that feed on specific plants likely evolve metabolic countermeasures to detoxify or otherwise bypass chemical defenses of their hosts. —Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing countermeasure

• counter-countermeasure
• electronic countermeasure

Rhymes for countermeasure

• displeasure
• leisure
• measure
• pleasure
• treasure

Kids Definition

countermeasure

noun

coun·​ter·​mea·​sure ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌmezh-ər 

-ˌmāzh-

: an action or device designed to counteract another