counteroffer

noun

coun·​ter·​of·​fer ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌȯ-fər 

-ˌä-fər

: a return offer made by one who has rejected an offer

Examples of counteroffer in a Sentence

He turned down the deal and came back with a counteroffer asking for more money.

Recent Examples on the Web

Know when—and how—to make a counteroffer Your first instinct should not be to change their mind. —Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

His team screens all bids and sends counteroffers if the initial sum is too low. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 6 June 2025

Meanwhile, a record 1 in 3 people who just started a new job says their employer tried to keep them through a counteroffer, according to new ZipRecruiter data. —Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 18 June 2025

Now, Missouri is making its own counteroffer to keep the Chiefs in place. —James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for counteroffer

• coffer
• offer
• proffer
• scoffer

Legal Definition

counteroffer

noun

coun·​ter·​of·​fer ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌȯ-fər 

: an offer that is made in response to another and that has additional or differing terms

Note: Under common law, a counteroffer does not constitute an acceptance of an offer and is often considered a rejection of the offer.

counteroffer intransitive verb