counterclaims

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.

Related 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 counterclaims In Georgia, Teddy’s Market has answered with counterclaims arguing Buc-ee's is squeezing smaller rivals with claims that don't hold. Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Those allegations have not been proven in court, and Buc-ee's has not yet responded to the counterclaims. Christopher Harris, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Williams, who had filed counterclaims against Baumgarten for allegedly making false and defamatory statements about her and tarnishing her reputation, also voluntarily dismissed her suit at the same time. Catherine Muccigrosso july 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026 The New York Times has filed counterclaims against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is pursuing a lawsuit against the news organization for allegedly discriminating against a white male employee by passing him over for a promotion. Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2026 Judge Biggs largely agreed with Williamson that Ford should have known her counterclaims were without merit, reasoning that outlook became clear after the court held the five-year contract was void as a matter of law. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 July 2026 The three-week trial did not address antitrust claims alleged by Musk and harassment counterclaims filed by Altman that are still pending. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 In 2022, a jury awarded Depp more than $10 million in damages, while Heard won one of her counterclaims and was awarded $2 million. Charlie Carballo, USA Today, 30 June 2026 In April 2026, the defendants filed counterclaims of their own against the investors. Elizabeth Rosner, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterclaims
Noun
  • Executive orders to limit mail-in ballots, lawsuits over voter registration data, threats to funding and more have poured out of the White House leading up to the 2026 general election.
    Denver Post, Denver Post, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Looming questions concerning its regulatory status and market integrity threaten to upend Kalshi’s business model, while mounting state and federal lawsuits suggest an eventual date with the Supreme Court.
    Carson Becker, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Lee says overgrown trees are among the most common constituent complaints.
    Elle McLogan, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities tracked him down following public complaints, and he was arrested at a villa in Legian, a popular tourist spot near Kuta Beach.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Counterclaims.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterclaims. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster