as in attack
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 counterattack
After Orlando squandered a chance on the counterattack, Philadelphia capitalized in transition to erase the remaining deficit.
—
Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
The second aspect of Beijing’s counterattack is its timing.
—Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 4 May 2026
In the fifth minute, Bay FC sprung the counterattack with Taylor Huff delivering a perfect pass to Racheal Kundananjii.
—Phuoc Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Reynolds, the field commander for the 1980s counterattack, was a wealthy corporate lawyer with minimal experience in discrimination law when Reagan named him to the civil rights job.
—Ronald Brownstein, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
The second aspect of Beijing’s counterattack is its timing.
—Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 4 May 2026
In the fifth minute, Bay FC sprung the counterattack with Taylor Huff delivering a perfect pass to Racheal Kundananjii.
—Phuoc Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Reynolds, the field commander for the 1980s counterattack, was a wealthy corporate lawyer with minimal experience in discrimination law when Reagan named him to the civil rights job.
—Ronald Brownstein, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterattack
Noun
-
Each one would need to stock more interceptors and operate with escort ships to fend off attacks.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
The first-half diagnosis The strangest part of San Diego’s sophomore season is that the attack has not collapsed.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
But, in a separate incident reported by Reuters, it was revealed that Musk did cut service in eastern Ukraine around the same time, crippling a planned Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kherson.—
Ben Tarnoff,
Big Think,
23 Apr. 2026
-
In some ways, such jokes are a counteroffensive against Russian disinformation.—
Neringa Klumbytė,
The Conversation,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Between 2012 and 2015, Perry was also convicted of assault likely to cause great bodily injury, domestic violence, possession of ammunition as a felon and fleeing from police in Sacramento County, according to the criminal complaint.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
-
Today, not only are these conditions under assault by a kleptocratic, nativist US federal government, but the clock seems also to be running out on their own internal contradictions.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Counterattack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterattack. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
