counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt 
1
: one of two corresponding copies of a legal instrument : duplicate
2
a
: a thing that fits another perfectly
b
: something that completes : complement
the lead actress and her male counterpart
3
a
: one remarkably similar to another
The crow is sometimes mistaken for its larger counterpart, the raven.
b
: one having the same function or characteristics as another
college presidents and their counterparts in business
Examples of counterpart in a Sentence
The secretary of defense met with his counterparts in Asia to discuss the nuclear crisis.
Metal tools replaced their stone counterparts many, many years ago.
the lead actress and her male counterpart
Recent Examples on the Web
Former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reported receiving several high-value gifts, including a $3,700 bronze statue from his Indian counterpart, binoculars worth $2,950 from his Qatari counterpart and a $1,300 watercolor painting from the prime minister of Iraq.
—
Matthew Lee The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
These scrolls are about 100 times thinner than a human hair and conduct electricity more efficiently than their flat counterparts.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Jan. 2026
In the attempt to identify wakes in the quark-gluon plasma, scientists have been hunting for pairings of quarks and their antimatter counterparts known as anti-quarks.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Much of the onscreen conflict involves Colin’s parents, who, unlike their literary counterparts, know that their son is gay and take an embarrassingly overactive role in nurturing his love life.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterpart
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Matthew Lee The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
These scrolls are about 100 times thinner than a human hair and conduct electricity more efficiently than their flat counterparts.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Jan. 2026
In the attempt to identify wakes in the quark-gluon plasma, scientists have been hunting for pairings of quarks and their antimatter counterparts known as anti-quarks.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Much of the onscreen conflict involves Colin’s parents, who, unlike their literary counterparts, know that their son is gay and take an embarrassingly overactive role in nurturing his love life.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterpart
Cite this Entry
“Counterpart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterpart. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌpärt
1
: a part or thing that matches another
the left arm is the counterpart of the right
2
: something that serves to complete something else : complement
3
: a person closely resembling another
Legal Definition
counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt
: one of two corresponding or duplicate copies of a legal instrument
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