as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
this medication will counteract the symptoms but it won't kill the infection
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Recent Examples of counteract
The context is its materiality—modern concrete evokes something industrial and sparse, which both Simlai and Pfaff counteract with botanical elements and material mixing.
—
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 29 Apr. 2026
The 18-year-old had to get medical attention, ultimately receiving a steroid shot to counteract the allergic reaction.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
And inside this clump of matter, gravitation pulls things inwards, but the heat of the moving particles provides an outward pressure (which is a force over an area), gas pressure, that works to counteract the effects of gravitation.
—Big Think, 24 Apr. 2026
The national park system China has developed for giant pandas is designed to counteract this fragmentation by connecting reserves across the landscape.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counteract
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 29 Apr. 2026
The 18-year-old had to get medical attention, ultimately receiving a steroid shot to counteract the allergic reaction.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
And inside this clump of matter, gravitation pulls things inwards, but the heat of the moving particles provides an outward pressure (which is a force over an area), gas pressure, that works to counteract the effects of gravitation.
—Big Think, 24 Apr. 2026
The national park system China has developed for giant pandas is designed to counteract this fragmentation by connecting reserves across the landscape.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counteract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counteract
Verb
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Some facilities use this biogas to offset part of their electricity demand, helping lower the massive energy consumption associated with wastewater treatment.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
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Goodspeed is equally skeptical of the notion that governments can juice expansions to offset future downturns.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Imai hasn’t commanded his arsenal against anyone, but his inability to neutralize lefties has been of particular concern to team officials.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Using white blood cells from humans infected with hantavirus, the researchers identified antibodies—proteins in the immune system that can identify and neutralize pathogens—that may be able to combat different strains of the virus.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Board president Kevin Smith said the poll workers took the correct actions with the adamant voter and Thursday’s board vote corrected his attempt to vote a second time.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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That was the focus of a Supreme Court case that ultimately determined the prosecution's failure to correct Sneed's testimony violated Glossip's constitutional right to due process, granting him a new trial with an order issued in February 2025.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Counteract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counteract. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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