as in resisting
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as in offsetting
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 counteracting
Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 5 Feb. 2026
The broad sense that the country is moving in the right direction may be counteracting Republican dissatisfaction with the state of the economy.
—Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Presidential searches House Republicans are weighing the revival of a 2025 bill aimed at counteracting DeSantis’ increasingly outsize influence on university presidential searches.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
First, the city must spread the word that combating these frauds and teaming up with whistleblowers is a priority, thus counteracting the perception that the city and its victim agencies are often uninterested in these claims.
—Randall Fox, New York Daily News, 1 Jan. 2026
And, for some families, counteracting that message begins at home.
—Rheana Murray, The Atlantic, 26 Nov. 2025
The middle class is historically a force of moderation and stability in Iran, bridging the gaps in society and counteracting extremes.
—Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
Texas Democrats returned to their state during the second special session, once the first special session ended and their California counterparts introduced their new House map aimed at counteracting the one that passed in Texas.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 29 Aug. 2025
From open offices to home workstations, employees across industries invested in sit-stand setups with the hope of counteracting sedentary lifestyles.
—Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
Potassium supports heart health, counteracting sodium’s elevating effects on blood pressure.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 5 Feb. 2026
The broad sense that the country is moving in the right direction may be counteracting Republican dissatisfaction with the state of the economy.
—Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Presidential searches House Republicans are weighing the revival of a 2025 bill aimed at counteracting DeSantis’ increasingly outsize influence on university presidential searches.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
First, the city must spread the word that combating these frauds and teaming up with whistleblowers is a priority, thus counteracting the perception that the city and its victim agencies are often uninterested in these claims.
—Randall Fox, New York Daily News, 1 Jan. 2026
And, for some families, counteracting that message begins at home.
—Rheana Murray, The Atlantic, 26 Nov. 2025
The middle class is historically a force of moderation and stability in Iran, bridging the gaps in society and counteracting extremes.
—Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
Texas Democrats returned to their state during the second special session, once the first special session ended and their California counterparts introduced their new House map aimed at counteracting the one that passed in Texas.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 29 Aug. 2025
From open offices to home workstations, employees across industries invested in sit-stand setups with the hope of counteracting sedentary lifestyles.
—Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counteracting
Verb
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Private consumption drove the modest expansion, offsetting weakness in exports and public spending, according to data from Japan’s Cabinet Office.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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The report identifies three massive, offsetting policy developments as the primary drivers of this fiscal deterioration.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Switch up the protein in your gumbo based on the opposing team that game day.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
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This season in particular, home games have been a short respite from the hostile environments UConn has faced on the road, where – just about – every opposing team and fan base makes the most of their shot at one of the top teams in the country.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fabric softener counteracts those negative charges, neutralizing them.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Feb. 2026
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The Israel Defense Forces conducted approximately 80 brigade-level counterterrorism operations over the past year in the West Bank — known to Israelis as Judea and Samaria — neutralizing hundreds of terrorists and seizing more than 1,300 weapons, according to data released by the military.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Antigovernment demonstrations intensify in Iran as mourners hold 40-day memorial ceremonies, while international observers report conflicting death tolls and warn of death sentences for detainees.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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The pair ran into difficulties while trying to reach the summit but there were conflicting accounts in court regarding the defendant’s attempts to seek assistance.—
Stephanie Halasz,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But with all that extra information comes errors, and error-correcting a quantum qubit—weeding out the noise to find the signal—is a challenge in itself.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
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And while a talented photographer can work wonders, even the best can’t outshoot a schedule that’s too tight or work literal color-correcting magic on photos washed out by the blazing sun.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As temperature rises, these vibrations intensify, creating a more chaotic, more resistant barrier that paradoxically hardens the metal’s surface against high-speed stress.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
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The frogs have evolved to be resistant to the toxins.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Rodríguez represents just one of multiple and competing interests within a Venezuela elite composed of a precarious civil-military alliance officially committed to a leftist populist ideology called Chavismo.—
Rebecca Hanson,
The Conversation,
6 Jan. 2026
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Pope Leo’s emphasis on respect and dialogue suggests a desire to move beyond polarization, but competing interpretations of both doctrine and pastoral practice continue to divide American Catholics.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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His couplets—stitched together by a rhyme—typically saunter in contrary directions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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The video of the incident, now seen across the world and studied by non-partisan law enforcement experts, provides contrary evidence.—
Ken Molestina,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Counteracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counteracting. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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