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
-
From behind the counter of his tiny store, The Latin Corner, surrounded by candies, snacks and other goods from his homeland of Venezuela, David Villanueva’s eyes are glued to a flat screen TV.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Jan. 2026
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FreshCo has kept its market component, which allows customers to purchase fish or stone crabs at the counter and take them home.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Houses have been being built here since the early 1900s, and so there's different offsets.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Top with half of the Nutella, swirling it into the batter with a small offset spatula or a butter knife.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The perfect balance for a sport that jostles between exquisite and excruciating.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Peterson, who did indeed return to the court, was hacked on an off-balance 3 with one second to play.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Young Hoteliers Academy positions itself as a corrective.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
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His most ambitious series to date, Pluribus can be seen as a corrective of sorts—a grand, artful, mind-bendingly philosophical, darkly funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but consistently humane vindication of our fractious species.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterforce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterforce. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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