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
The disjointed nature of Lyon’s performance was best encompassed by Barcelona’s second goal just 15 minutes later, when their back line was in complete disarray as Barcelona once again drove at them on the counterattack and danced in the holes.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 23 May 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
Suwon responded with counterattacks as the North Koreans struggled to clear crosses into the box, with a header from home forward Haruhi Suzuki bouncing off a post in the 21st.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
After Orlando squandered a chance on the counterattack, Philadelphia capitalized in transition to erase the remaining deficit.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
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Megan Feringa, New York Times, 23 May 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
Suwon responded with counterattacks as the North Koreans struggled to clear crosses into the box, with a header from home forward Haruhi Suzuki bouncing off a post in the 21st.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
After Orlando squandered a chance on the counterattack, Philadelphia capitalized in transition to erase the remaining deficit.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 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 30 May. 2026.
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