counterterrorism

noun

coun·​ter·​ter·​ror·​ism ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈter-ər-ˌi-zəm 

variants or counter-terrorism

: measures designed to combat or prevent terrorism

an expert in counterterrorism

—often used before another noun

a local counterterrorism council

new counter-terrorism policies/measures

Examples of counterterrorism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For years, the fixation on Islamist terror shaped a culture drenched in fear, as voices from politics, the media, civil society, and a swelling counterterrorism-industrial complex insisted that the country faced an existential threat. — Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2026

The Department of Homeland Security, many state anti-terrorism laws and billions of dollars in state and local counterterrorism funding all are post-9/11 creations. — Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

He's widely credited with driving down crime and ramping up the department's counterterrorism capacity. — Chris Wragge, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

On the 25th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on US soil, law enforcement officials – especially in New York – manage a massive counterterrorism infrastructure made up of almost every local, state, and federal law enforcement agency. — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for counterterrorism

• absolutism
• adventurism
• aestheticism
• africanism
• agnosticism
• alcoholism
• anachronism
• anglicanism
• antagonism
• arianism
• asceticism
• astigmatism