counterclaims

Definition of counterclaimsnext
plural of counterclaim
as in lawsuits
a court case brought against the plaintiff of another court case by the defendant The defendant filed a counterclaim for his own injuries, claiming that he only rear-ended the plaintiff because she had stopped too fast.

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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 counterclaims Their arguments are now moving forward as counterclaims under the umbrella of the QBE lawsuit. Tess Riski april 14, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026 Perhaps more importantly, CAA’s counterclaims accusing the agents of stealing trade secrets on their way out and starting a rival agency that masquerades as a management firm were rejected. Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026 The other focused on counterclaims. Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026 Baldoni, who also directed the film, filed counterclaims against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, which Liman dismissed in June. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026 But his previously unreported warning was the first of a torrent of claims and counterclaims shared by conservative commentators after Kirk’s death. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026 Nelson has since filed copyright counterclaims of her own, alleging a third party connected to Taylor posted her images without permission. Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026 Worse, Paramount’s fraud and copyright infringement counterclaims—alleging Gray deliberately hid his participation (which Gray denies)—were greenlit for trial. Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026 In his counterclaims against Stalcup, the former analyst accused of stealing and doctoring documents alleges the 2023 capital calls used misleading statements to get people to pitch in. Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterclaims
Noun
  • Attorneys who represented Simon in previous lawsuits did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment.
    Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Public health groups say the lawsuits are needed because the Environmental Protection Agency has failed to protect Americans from risks associated with glyphosate.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Kissimmee commissioner Janette Martinez proclaimed her innocence against two ethics complaints against her, claiming they are politically motived as elections loom.
    Natalia Jaramillo, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
  • His clients have filed the first of many lawsuits to come from the small town, including complaints from six families of victims killed in the shooting, as well as one mother whose daughter continues to fight for her life in intensive care.
    Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Counterclaims.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterclaims. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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