variants
or counter-attacks
as in attacks
an attack made to counter an enemy's attack
suddenly the tide of battle turned, and the rebels, who had been falling back, made a furious counterattack
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Recent Examples of counterattacks
Sun Yingsha’s speed, anticipation, backhand counterattacks, and composure under pressure have made her one of the greatest table-tennis athletes of all time.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 June 2026
On the battlefield, Ukrainian counterattacks have driven the Russian army out of more than 150 square miles of southern Ukraine since the end of last year, Western analysts say.
—Dan Bashakov, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
This will be key, as one of Giraldez’s main tactics to cause Barcelona problems will be counterattacks.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Suwon responded with counterattacks as the North Koreans struggled to clear crosses into the box, with a header from home forward Haruhi Suzuki bouncing off a post in the 21st.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
Bassong continued in the midfield through 2025, bringing that same intense defensive presence while jump-starting counterattacks.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
Launch units can reposition quickly, reducing vulnerability to counterattacks.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
Considering that Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel for nearly a month, Israeli fatalities from Iran’s counterattacks have remained remarkably low thanks to the country’s air defense system, its early-warning sirens and publicly available bomb shelters.
—Rebecca Shabad, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026
Oil and gas prices have soared this past month after Iran launched counterattacks that closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off about 20% of the world’s supply of oil from global markets.
—Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 June 2026
On the battlefield, Ukrainian counterattacks have driven the Russian army out of more than 150 square miles of southern Ukraine since the end of last year, Western analysts say.
—Dan Bashakov, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
This will be key, as one of Giraldez’s main tactics to cause Barcelona problems will be counterattacks.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Suwon responded with counterattacks as the North Koreans struggled to clear crosses into the box, with a header from home forward Haruhi Suzuki bouncing off a post in the 21st.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
Bassong continued in the midfield through 2025, bringing that same intense defensive presence while jump-starting counterattacks.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
Launch units can reposition quickly, reducing vulnerability to counterattacks.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
Considering that Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel for nearly a month, Israeli fatalities from Iran’s counterattacks have remained remarkably low thanks to the country’s air defense system, its early-warning sirens and publicly available bomb shelters.
—Rebecca Shabad, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026
Oil and gas prices have soared this past month after Iran launched counterattacks that closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off about 20% of the world’s supply of oil from global markets.
—Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterattacks
Noun
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Teams are targeting the champions down their right side, channelling more of their attacks onto that flank.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
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November saw the highest number of attacks yet in a single month, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) project, and CNN’s analysis.—
Vasco Cotovio,
CNN Money,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Dynamic shifts on the battlefield — with large swaths of Ukrainian land changing hands in offensives and counteroffensives in the early years of the war — have since given way to a conflict of inches.—
Joanna Kakissis,
NPR,
24 Feb. 2026
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Shyriaiev is holed up in Sumy, a strategically important oblast that borders Russia, and has been the centerpiece of Ukrainian counteroffensives this fall.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street announced Tuesday that the 2026 Downtown Days festival will be its last, citing safety concerns after fights, assaults and property damage marred Saturday evening’s event.—
Ian Cummings,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
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The column urges other scientific bodies to see this episode as a warning that neutrality in the face of organized assaults on science is itself a political choice that risks long‑term damage to research and public health.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
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The United States led a regional coalition to shoot down practically all of Iran’s missiles, and Israeli counterstrikes destroyed much of Iran’s air defenses.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
24 June 2025
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Iranian officials have said more than 400 people have been killed since Israel's attacks began, Reuters reported; Iran's counterstrikes have resulted in at least 24 deaths in Israel.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterattacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterattacks. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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