counterweight

noun

coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌwāt 

: an equivalent weight or force : counterbalance

counterweight transitive verb

Synonyms of counterweight

• offset
• counter
• balance
• counterbalance
• corrective

Examples of counterweight in a Sentence

The crane has a heavy counterweight on the back.

hard work can often be a counterweight to modest intelligence

Recent Examples on the Web

The incident comes as Newsom, who is weighing a 2028 presidential run, has increasingly positioned California as a counterweight to Washington. —Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026

Powell has often cited support on Capitol Hill as a counterweight to Trump’s attacks. —Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026

Menin, an Upper East Side Democrat who’s seen as a centrist counterweight to Mayor Mamdani’s administration, is expected to make the appointments at a Council meeting Thursday where picks for all of the body’s other committee chairpersons will also be announced, the sources said. —Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026

Tariffs raise prices, reduce consumer surplus, and protect domestic producers, with employment effects offered as a counterweight. —Gerald Bradshaw, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for counterweight

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

counterweight

noun

coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌwāt 

: counterbalance entry 1 sense 1