as in counterattack
an attack made to counter an enemy's attack
a feeble counterassault that proved to be entirely futile
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Recent Examples of counterassault
The Israeli counterassault over the last few days has killed at least 31 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip including seven children and four women, according to the U.N. humanitarian office.
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Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 12 May 2023
The 77-minute siege ended with a counterassault led by a SWAT team from the US Border Patrol.
—ABC News, 13 Feb. 2023
Another risk is that Russia’s invasion and the West’s financial counterassault could prove more economically disruptive than the pandemic.
—Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022
Saturday’s assault included a volley of rockets that Ukrainian officials said damaged 47 apartment buildings and houses, adding that Ukraine cannot answer the attacks for fear that a counterassault would set off a radiation disaster.
—Vivian Yee, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2022
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 12 May 2023
The 77-minute siege ended with a counterassault led by a SWAT team from the US Border Patrol.
—ABC News, 13 Feb. 2023
Another risk is that Russia’s invasion and the West’s financial counterassault could prove more economically disruptive than the pandemic.
—Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022
Saturday’s assault included a volley of rockets that Ukrainian officials said damaged 47 apartment buildings and houses, adding that Ukraine cannot answer the attacks for fear that a counterassault would set off a radiation disaster.
—Vivian Yee, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterassault
counterattack
Noun
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Manager Ronny Deila will lean heavily on captain Hans Vanaken and striker Andreas Skov Olsen to create chances on the counterattack.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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For its part, the Ukrainian military has claimed to have recovered some 70 square miles of territory in the Pokrovsk area over the past two months, in a series of counterattacks.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterassault.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterassault. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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