counterattack
noun
coun·ter·at·tack
ˈkau̇n-tər-ə-ˌtak 
variants
or counter-attack
plural counterattacks or counter-attacks
: an attack made in response to or in defense against an attack made by another
a series of attacks and counterattacks
Iraqi forces are advancing into the city of Fallujah, repelling a counter-attack by the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) on Tuesday …—
Jack Moore
Jack Moore
counterattack
verb, transitive + intransitive
or counter-attack
counterattacked or counter-attacked; counterattacking or counter-attacking
Syrian rebels including jihadists counter-attacked the army and its allies on Friday aiming to break a weeks-long siege on eastern Aleppo, insurgents said.
—Ellen Francis and Angus McDowall
Ellen Francis and Angus McDowall
counterattacker
noun
or counter-attacker
plural counterattackers or counter-attackers
Finally, the big man, bleeding profusely, succeeded in throwing his counterattacker off him.
—Andrew M. Greeley
Andrew M. Greeley
Examples of counterattack in a Sentence
suddenly the tide of battle turned, and the rebels, who had been falling back, made a furious counterattack
Recent Examples on the Web
Les Grenadiers led at halftime after a gritty 45 minutes with many dangerous runs on the counterattack, and some late arriving fans were still pouring into the parking lots as the second half began.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 June 2026
France is not exclusively dependent on possession and is often comfortable playing on the counterattack, taking advantage of the blistering speed of its forwards.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
And Addie McCain added a late insurance goal on the counterattack to seal the victory and one of the most dramatic title runs in recent women’s soccer memory.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 2 June 2026
On the battlefield, Ukrainian counterattacks have driven the Russian army out of more than 150 square miles of southern Ukraine since the end of last year, Western analysts say.
—Dan Bashakov, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
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Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 June 2026
France is not exclusively dependent on possession and is often comfortable playing on the counterattack, taking advantage of the blistering speed of its forwards.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
And Addie McCain added a late insurance goal on the counterattack to seal the victory and one of the most dramatic title runs in recent women’s soccer memory.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 2 June 2026
On the battlefield, Ukrainian counterattacks have driven the Russian army out of more than 150 square miles of southern Ukraine since the end of last year, Western analysts say.
—Dan Bashakov, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
Cite this Entry
“Counterattack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterattack. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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