1
as in equilibrium
a condition in which opposing forces are equal to one another
a musical piece with a counterpoise of loud and soft passages
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective
the happiness brought by a new baby was a timely counterpoise to the grief occasioned by a death in the family
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
her overall healthiness largely counterpoised the virulence of the infection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of counterpoise
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023
What’s most remarkable about Torruella’s film is its counterpoise between the sense of raging injustice and the island’s mystic stillness.
—Amada Torruella, The New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2023
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
Conflicts of interest are objective situations that arise when a person’s financial interests can be counterpoised to their public responsibilities.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 29 Nov. 2018
Noun
Molina, the embodiment of theatrical excellence, is perfectly cast as the rational counterpoise to Brady’s zealotry.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023
What’s most remarkable about Torruella’s film is its counterpoise between the sense of raging injustice and the island’s mystic stillness.
—Amada Torruella, The New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2023
Verb
Indeed, the Western, that peculiarly American contribution to the world’s store of epic and saga, often depends on the tale of a defeated Confederate at large to enforce virtue, someone whose heroic individualism is counterpoised with the superficial discipline of the federal troops.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
Conflicts of interest are objective situations that arise when a person’s financial interests can be counterpoised to their public responsibilities.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 29 Nov. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterpoise
Noun
-
The work of Ayurveda, then, is to restore equilibrium.—
Annie Daly,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Then, with fewer and smaller oxygen-consuming animals and more plants gobbling up carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, the balance will change, eventually reaching equilibrium.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Under the Daylight Act, the time zone UTC offsets would be changed to half-hour increments rather than hours.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Critics have long warned that weak oversight, inflated claims and poor benefit-sharing have eroded trust in offset programs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This article has been corrected to reflect that Sam Lilley and his fellow pilot were partially blamed for the crash in litigation filed by passengers.—
Emma Hurt,
AJC.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
This article was updated to correct a quote's attribution.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Squeeze a drop of shampoo onto a damp cloth or towel to wipe away greasy cooking debris from whatever surface was hit, including the counter, stovetop, or backsplash.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Swift’s flawless blowout, worn tucked behind her ears, is elegant, lovely, and luxurious, offering a full-circle counter to her debut curls.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Chlorophyll is commonly used in garlic supplements to neutralize the strong odor and mask any garlic taste.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
His post didn’t answer how it was neutralized or why an airport had to go dark.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If using a front-load or top-load washer, add some white bath towels to help keep the washer from becoming off-balance.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Since there are far too many variables that go into a knife’s design—handle shape, blade shape, weight, balance, material, and so on— determining which knife is the best knife is fundamentally impossible.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Currently, there's no democratic counterweight.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Italy offers a pragmatic counterweight for Merz, focused on competitiveness, migration control and industrial policy rather than a grand European redesign.—
Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager,
The Conversation,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Young Hoteliers Academy positions itself as a corrective.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
-
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
“Counterpoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterpoise. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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