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
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Recent Examples of counteracts
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
The light blue shade counteracts purple and pink tones to cover redness and veins, while the peach shade brightens and corrects sallow-looking skin.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 23 Dec. 2025
This practice counteracts your brain’s obsession with what’s wrong and builds psychological resilience, one moment at a time.
—Jessica Weiss, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025
By making the silicon conductive, the doping lets the electronics subtly adjust how strongly the device is mechanically driven, which counteracts slow shifts in frequency.
—Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 17 Dec. 2025
The Miracle Of Dishwasher Salt For those of you out there with hard water issues, dishwasher salt counteracts hard water.
—Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025
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
The light blue shade counteracts purple and pink tones to cover redness and veins, while the peach shade brightens and corrects sallow-looking skin.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 23 Dec. 2025
This practice counteracts your brain’s obsession with what’s wrong and builds psychological resilience, one moment at a time.
—Jessica Weiss, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025
By making the silicon conductive, the doping lets the electronics subtly adjust how strongly the device is mechanically driven, which counteracts slow shifts in frequency.
—Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 17 Dec. 2025
The Miracle Of Dishwasher Salt For those of you out there with hard water issues, dishwasher salt counteracts hard water.
—Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counteracts
Verb
-
The Yanbu route only partly offsets the hit to supply from shutting Hormuz, through which about 15 million barrels a day of crude shipments passed before the war.—
Emma Ross-Thomas,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
House Republicans want to return $500 million annually to the middle class by expanding an income tax credit that offsets a portion of municipal property tax bills.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Especially because the historicization does something to Martin’s writing, tossing in a saccharine element that neutralizes some of his humor.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Baking soda naturally neutralizes odors and absorbs any moisture.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In this scenario, stripped of high-paying salaries, prime borrowers default and tank the $13 trillion residential mortgage market, unemployment spikes above 10%, the stock market corrects down 38%, and the economy collapses into a deflationary spiral.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Feb. 2026
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The answer is a combination of ingredients that corrects, prevents, and protects—not to mention the affordable price point.—
Erika Reals,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The laws of armed conflict allow attacks on civilian infrastructure such as energy plants only if the military advantage outweighs the civilian harm, legal scholars say.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
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PBHs have also been considered as a possible constituent of dark matter, the invisible matter permeating the universe that outweighs normal matter by a factor of about five.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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The pastel counterbalances the darker and mid-tones in the forecast.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counteracts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counteracts. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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