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
David Frum, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
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
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
That’s more than just a defeat; that is institutional counterpoise against the attempt by the president to corrupt institutions.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
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
-
Most good people, who manage these trade-offs with compassion and skill, are creatures of fragile equilibria.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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When production stops abruptly due to downstream bottlenecks, the delicate equilibrium of rock physics and fluid flow is shattered.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Because of this slight offset, stars will appear to rise four minutes earlier every 24 hours on successive nights.—
Vahe Peroomian,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2026
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In some cases, benefit offsets (where the VA withholds part of your monthly benefit to repay a debt) can be adjusted to reduce the financial strain.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These complaints can trigger investigations and may pressure debt collectors to correct improper behavior.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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Correction This article was updated to correct that the exhibit opens Friday.—
Amy Paige Condon,
AJC.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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On the other side of the living area was my and my husband’s room, with a king bed draped in netting, an en-suite bathroom with two stone sinks, live-edge wood counters, and a rain shower with a large window to outside, and a larger terrace with a hammock.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
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Casting Emraan Hashmi in the lead was a deliberate act of counter-programming.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As a result, defense agencies worldwide are accelerating the development and procurement of counter-drone technologies, particularly portable systems that can rapidly neutralize UAV threats in real time.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been degraded during the American and Israeli war against it, but remains far from neutralized.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Italy starter Michael Lorenzen allowed two hits in 4 2/3 scoreless innings to keep the Americans off balance.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Techa Tungateja/Getty Images Elevated living costs, growing credit card balances and lingering financial strain from the past few years have pushed many borrowers to reconsider their debt strategies right now.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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While steadily expanding trade and technology ties with Gulf states, China has sought to position itself as a regional counterweight, most notably by brokering a 2023 agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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In literary translation, the term compensation refers to a moment where something lost in one part of the text is recouped elsewhere — not through direct replacement, but through a kind of interpretive counterweight.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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These are all refreshing correctives to the texts that previously stood in for contemporary Japan internationally, including any number of small volumes about magical cafés, bookshops, or libraries, often with cats on their covers.—
Sarah Chihaya,
New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2026
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The Young Hoteliers Academy positions itself as a corrective.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterpoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterpoise. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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