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
Arkansas had done well to prevent Washington from breaking out on counterattacks throughout the match.
—Anthony Kristensen, Arkansas Online, 21 Nov. 2025
The French emperor was forced to retreat amid the harsh Russian winter, dwindling supplies and fierce counterattacks.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025
In April 2024, after Iran launched its first aerial attack on Israel, Biden told Netanyahu that the United States would not support an Israeli counterattack against Iran, urging him to take the unsuccessful nature of the Iranian salvo as a win, thanks to joint defensive operations.
—Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
Yet Kyiv’s counterattack was also a reminder that Ukraine is waging its own war on Russia’s energy infrastructure, and the pace has only been accelerating in recent months.
—Suriya Jayanti, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
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Anthony Kristensen, Arkansas Online, 21 Nov. 2025
The French emperor was forced to retreat amid the harsh Russian winter, dwindling supplies and fierce counterattacks.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025
In April 2024, after Iran launched its first aerial attack on Israel, Biden told Netanyahu that the United States would not support an Israeli counterattack against Iran, urging him to take the unsuccessful nature of the Iranian salvo as a win, thanks to joint defensive operations.
—Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
Yet Kyiv’s counterattack was also a reminder that Ukraine is waging its own war on Russia’s energy infrastructure, and the pace has only been accelerating in recent months.
—Suriya Jayanti, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
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 Nov. 2025.
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