counterweight

noun

coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)
Synonyms of counterweightnext
: 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
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.
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 Framed as a platform for addressing inequality, climate change and the rise of right-wing political movements, yet the rhetoric coming from it has raised questions in Washington and across the region about whether a more coordinated political counterweight to the United States is taking shape. Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for counterweight

Word History

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterweight was in 1693

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Cite this Entry

“Counterweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterweight. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

counterweight

noun
coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)

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