as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective
charitable giving is usually a good counterbalance to the self-indulgent commercialism of the Christmas season
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
a hearty dinner might counterbalance missing lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of counterbalance
The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Coyle, 33, is the right-shot center the Blue Jackets were seeking this summer, a counterbalance to the three left-handed centers — Sean Monahan, Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger — already in the Columbus lineup.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Jeffrey Mankoff, Foreign Affairs, 24 July 2025
Nevertheless, the overall impact of these actions still seems inadequate to completely counterbalance the eventual decline of Keytruda.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterbalance
Noun
Adelman did this as an in-game adjustment to counterbalance Lue’s adjustment from Game 1.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Coyle, 33, is the right-shot center the Blue Jackets were seeking this summer, a counterbalance to the three left-handed centers — Sean Monahan, Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger — already in the Columbus lineup.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Verb
Armenia, for example, has sought to end its reliance on Russian weapons by buying new systems from France and India (choosing the latter, in part, to counterbalance Pakistani support for Azerbaijan); Yerevan purchased $1.5 billion in Indian weapons in 2022–23 alone.
—Jeffrey Mankoff, Foreign Affairs, 24 July 2025
Nevertheless, the overall impact of these actions still seems inadequate to completely counterbalance the eventual decline of Keytruda.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterbalance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterbalance
Noun
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An Education Department spokesperson told CNBC in an email Tuesday that the department has not offset any Social Security benefits since restarting collections on May 5 and has paused future Social Security offsets.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
13 Aug. 2025
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And even with a partial offset, child care is a huge expense and most companies simply don’t have the margin to subsidize it.—
Abby McCloskey,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Bonus: The shade range includes color-correctors to neutralize redness, dullness, or dark circles.—
Allure,
Allure,
8 Aug. 2025
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This approach seeks to neutralize broader market risks while exploiting the relative strengths of DECK and the persistent challenges faced by NKE.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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These products can cause serious injury or death to young children who are climbing on the counter or crawling through the opening at the back.—
Chad Murphy,
The Enquirer,
5 Aug. 2025
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But having a lineup of bottles and jars on the counter looks a little untidy.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Correction: This story has been updated to correct the total death toll.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
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That’s something local governments can take steps to correct.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The acidity from the tomatoes and the sweetness from the corn balance the smokiness out nicely, as does the rich queso fresco and fresh cilantro.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
12 Aug. 2025
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Incorporating lateral lunges into your routine targets multiple muscle groups, improving balance and coordination.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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To reduce movement during strong winds, LeMessurier also proposed installing a huge counterweight, known as a tuned mass damper, in the tower’s upper floors.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
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America’s strategy for more than a decade has been to pull India closer into the Western and democratic orbit as a counterweight to its main autocratic rivals and adversaries.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterbalance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterbalance. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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