Thesaurus results for COUNTERACTS

counteracts

verb

present tense third-person singular of counteract

as in offsets

to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective this medication will counteract the symptoms but it won't kill the infection

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of counteracts While salicylic acid has a reputation for drying out skin, the triple ceramide complex in this cream counteracts that by drenching skin in long-lasting moisture—up to a full day—after application. — Mary Honkus, Glamour, 18 Aug. 2026 Evaporation is a phase change that counteracts warming temperatures and raises humidity in the air. — Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Some sunscreens only exacerbate existing redness and inflammation, but EltaMD’s is not only sensitive skin-friendly, but the green tint counteracts any naturally-occurring redness in the skin. — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 23 June 2026 For example, their potassium content helps regulate blood pressure and counteracts the effects of sodium, thereby relaxing blood vessel walls, says Matthew Landry, PhD, RDN, DipACLM, FAND, FAHA, assistant professor of population health and disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine. — Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 19 June 2026 Benadryl Extra-Strength Anti-Itch Cooling Spray counteracts the burning sensation with a cooling one. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026 This serum purportedly counteracts that, working to de-age the scalp, thus thickening and strengthening strands. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 6 Mar. 2026 Fabric softener counteracts those negative charges, neutralizing them. — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026 However, orthopedic surgeons explain that the amount of sugar in the beverage actually counteracts those bone-supporting benefits. — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for counteracts

Verb

This fee for container ships offsets the costs associated with transiting the waterway.

— Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Casar has been on a media blitz pitching progressives’ AI proposals, which have ranged from a ban on AI superintelligence to a tax on the technology to pay for a jobs program that offsets related layoffs.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of offsets

Verb

The common thread Domestic records collection and foreign data-for-aid deals rest on the same faith that anonymization neutralizes the risk of pooling sensitive health data.

— Jennifer D. Oliva, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026
Vinegar contains acetic acid, which cuts through grease and grime and neutralizes odors.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 31 July 2026

Definition of neutralizes

Verb

Robin doesn’t know how to use the word ‘’literally,’’ Ted corrects everyone, Lily chews too loudly, and Barney speaks in falsetto.

— Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
Those rules should cover what the agent can do, what requires human judgment and how the business stops or corrects an action when something goes wrong.

— Robert Kramer, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of corrects

Verb

Research indicates one in-person meeting can deliver the impact of three virtual ones, with many finding the commercial return outweighs travel costs.

— Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Once a loss is perceived, loss aversion kicks in—an emotional response in which the pain of loss far outweighs the pleasure of gain.

— Adrian Gore, Time, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of outweighs

Verb

That uncertainty and rise in unemployment tends to fuel a near-term dip in demand for goods, which counterbalances the price increases from tariffs.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
The pastel counterbalances the darker and mid-tones in the forecast.

— Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 16 Sep. 2025