countermeasure

noun

coun·​ter·​mea·​sure ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌme-zhər 

-ˌmā-

: an action or device designed to negate or offset another

The most well-known countermeasure by a physician is a malicious-persecution suit against the lawyer who sued him and failed to prove a case.

—William J. Curran

The Germans had developed a tricky magnetic mine, but the British had developed a countermeasure for this even before the mine was used.

—Bernard Brodie and Fawn M. Brodie

especially : electronic countermeasure

Examples of countermeasure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

American officials traveling to China take elaborate countermeasures to avoid having government secrets pilfered. —Edward Wong, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2023

That concept accepts some loss in maximum payload and survivability (ie. fewer expensive defensive countermeasures and stealth optimizations) in exchange for much lower costs and greater fuel efficiency and expendability. —Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 24 Aug. 2023

Enhancing these authorities will strengthen the countermeasure development pipeline, increase the Strategic National Stockpile capability and transparency, and improve countermeasure scalability and supply chain resilience. —Richard Burr, STAT, 11 July 2023

This week's record-breaking global temperatures are likely highest in 'at least 100,000 years' Last year, China suspended climate talks with the US and took other countermeasures in response to then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August. —Jennifer Hansler, CNN, 8 July 2023

But the process of initiating countermeasures could by itself improve the outlook for negotiations. —Lawrence H. Summers, Foreign Affairs, 15 June 2023

North Korea justifies its military pursuits as a countermeasure to joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, which have been scaled up in recent months. —Min Joo Kim, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2023

This is particularly difficult in a hot war situation, like Ukraine, where weapons can go from concept to turners of the tide in a matter of weeks, and the other side must quickly invent countermeasures—or lose the war. —Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 2 Aug. 2023

Countries scrambled to find a vaccine or other countermeasures. —Mike Stobbe, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing countermeasure

• counter-countermeasure
• electronic countermeasure

• counter-countermeasure
• electronic countermeasure

Kids Definition

countermeasure

noun

coun·​ter·​mea·​sure ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌmezh-ər 

-ˌmāzh-

: an action or device designed to counteract another