counterweight
noun
coun·ter·weight
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌwāt 
: an equivalent weight or force : counterbalance
counterweight
transitive verb
Examples of counterweight in a Sentence
The crane has a heavy counterweight on the back.
hard work can often be a counterweight to modest intelligence
Recent Examples on the Web
Built by the Mosler Safe Company in Ohio, the vault’s doors opened upward, activated by two massive counterweights that swung down at the press of a button.
—
Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
As Mamdani works out his approach to criminal justice, his appointment of Richards suggests a desire for a political counterweight to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a tough-on-crime scion of the establishment.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
At a time when the images and stories of migrants and migration in the United States portray a crisis, Cadet’s works present a poignant, intimate counterweight.
—Elly Fishman, Vogue, 8 May 2026
The closest institutional precedent is the International Energy Agency itself, founded in 1974 explicitly as a consuming-nations counterweight to OPEC.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterweight
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.
Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
As Mamdani works out his approach to criminal justice, his appointment of Richards suggests a desire for a political counterweight to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a tough-on-crime scion of the establishment.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
At a time when the images and stories of migrants and migration in the United States portray a crisis, Cadet’s works present a poignant, intimate counterweight.
—Elly Fishman, Vogue, 8 May 2026
The closest institutional precedent is the International Energy Agency itself, founded in 1974 explicitly as a consuming-nations counterweight to OPEC.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterweight
Cite this Entry
“Counterweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterweight. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
counterweight
noun
coun·ter·weight
ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌwāt
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
