as in counter
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective
the belief that higher interest rates are an effective counterforce to inflationary pressures
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Recent Examples of counterforce
History shows that autocratic states like Russia are only deterred by a strong counterforce from a rival that balances it and threatens its survival.
—
William Walldorf, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
Achieving peace in Gaza will therefore require a counterforce to Israel’s domestic political pressures.
—Eric Levitz, Vox, 3 June 2024
The idea is for two pylons to be attached to a special structure on the tower with cables that are expected to exert a counterforce should the tower start tipping more dangerously.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Lynch’s portrayal of Rita — a fiercely independent woman with a strong sense of her beliefs — is inspired, a quiet, grounding counterforce to Ben-Adir’s moodier depiction.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for counterforce
William Walldorf, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
Achieving peace in Gaza will therefore require a counterforce to Israel’s domestic political pressures.
—Eric Levitz, Vox, 3 June 2024
The idea is for two pylons to be attached to a special structure on the tower with cables that are expected to exert a counterforce should the tower start tipping more dangerously.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Lynch’s portrayal of Rita — a fiercely independent woman with a strong sense of her beliefs — is inspired, a quiet, grounding counterforce to Ben-Adir’s moodier depiction.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for counterforce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterforce
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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For each of the four grill packets, place a 16-inch-long sheet of heavy-duty foil on the counter.—
Bethany Thayer,
Freep.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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
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
Cite this Entry
“Counterforce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterforce. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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