as in offsets
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
Relevance
as in corrects
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterpoises
Noun
-
The $10 million Cousins is guaranteed from Atlanta in 2026 is subject to offsets, meaning if the Raiders signed him for, say, $3 million, the Falcons would pay the remaining $7 million.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026 -
Later this year, the federal government plans to resume wage garnishment and tax refund offsets for borrowers in default, stripping hundreds of dollars from people’s paychecks.—
Richard Cordray,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This version corrects the two other alternates were Keith Mitchell and Taylor Moore.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Discover the altered gene, place healthy versions of the gene into innocuous viruses, give those to patients, hope that kickstarts the CFTR protein and corrects the problem.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Explosive get-off and a deep bag of moves/counters fuel his pocket disruption.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Perfect peppers, minus the frustration of messy counters.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes the strength part neutralizes his athleticism and neutralizes his skills.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Especially because the historicization does something to Martin’s writing, tossing in a saccharine element that neutralizes some of his humor.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The three-bedroom home balances character with a livable layout, with two dining spaces with pebble stone floors, a wood-burning fireplace, and an antique wood table.—
Angela Tafoya,
Vogue,
16 Apr. 2026
-
These exercises work the quads in different ways, from eccentric engagement on downhill walks to isometric activation during single-leg balances.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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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Some of these values—such as a disciplined commitment to physical fitness—are good and, in my opinion, necessary correctives to the enervating distractions of 21st-century living.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Counterpoises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterpoises. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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