countersuit

noun

coun·​ter·​suit ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌsüt How to pronounce countersuit (audio)
variants or less commonly counter-suit
plural countersuits also counter-suits
Synonyms of countersuitnext
: an opposing lawsuit
especially : a claim asserted by an opposing party in a lawsuit (such as a defendant) against the party bringing the original lawsuit (such as a plaintiff) : counterclaim
decided to file a countersuit against her accuser
The current appeal results from a patent infringement suit and countersuit between Apple Inc. ("Apple") and Samsung Electronics Co … Apple, Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., 816 F. 3d 788 (2016)

Examples of countersuit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Liman dismissed the countersuit in June 2025, ruling in agreement with Lively's motion that Baldoni's claims of civil extortion, defamation and false light did not hold up legally. Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 2 June 2026 That countersuit claimed that Watson’s willingness to speak with The Star about the legal dispute harmed his reputation and cost him the seat. Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026 Over the last year, the companies have been entangled in a mix of suits and countersuits, taking jabs at each other’s products and progress. Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026 This led to Knouse’s countersuit and harassment claim, which was dismissed by a superior court judge and upheld by the Appellate Court, before being taken up by the SJC. Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for countersuit

Word History

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of countersuit was in 1814

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Cite this Entry

“Countersuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/countersuit. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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