counterpunch

noun

coun·​ter·​punch ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpənch How to pronounce counterpunch (audio)
: a counter in boxing
also : a countering blow or attack
counterpunch intransitive verb
counterpuncher noun

Examples of counterpunch in a Sentence

the last, desperate counterpunch of the German armies, known as the Battle of the Bulge
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Saturday’s was just that, as KU shocked the crowd into silence by jumping to a 21-6 lead Then, the counterpunches. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025 Stearns’ counterpunch to that was to ship Jose Butto and prospects Drew Gilbert and Blake Tidwell to the Giants for Tyler Rogers, one of the elite set-up men in the game (1.80 ERA and just four walks over 50 innings). Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2025 While electric vehicles continue to gain ground, sustainable fuel solutions may offer internal combustion engines a counterpunch. New Atlas, 20 July 2025 In the 1990s, heroin chic surged in popularity as women flooded law schools, boardrooms, and newsrooms in record numbers — a visual counterpunch to female ambition. Anne Marie Chaker, Time, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for counterpunch

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterpunch was in 1942

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Cite this Entry

“Counterpunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterpunch. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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