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
Vintage rugs can be pricier than their modern counterparts, so buying a smaller vintage area rug and a larger sisal or jute rug to go underneath is a beautiful, cost-effective solution for folding in vintage appeal.
—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
29 June 2026
Recognizing that women's gold medalists often receive less recognition than their male counterparts, Flav created SHE Weekend to correct this imbalance.
—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
In the early days of the MoU, Iranian Parliament Speaker Muhammad Qalibaf told his Lebanese counterpart that withdrawal would be negotiated only during the final-deal talks.
—
Hussain Abdul-Hussain,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 June 2026
The Austrian players and supporters celebrated wildly and, at the final whistle a few seconds later, their Algerian counterparts did likewise.
—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 June 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.
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
29 June 2026
Recognizing that women's gold medalists often receive less recognition than their male counterparts, Flav created SHE Weekend to correct this imbalance.
—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
In the early days of the MoU, Iranian Parliament Speaker Muhammad Qalibaf told his Lebanese counterpart that withdrawal would be negotiated only during the final-deal talks.
—
Hussain Abdul-Hussain,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 June 2026
The Austrian players and supporters celebrated wildly and, at the final whistle a few seconds later, their Algerian counterparts did likewise.
—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 June 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 1 Jul. 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
