as in counterattack
an attack made to counter an enemy's attack
the last, desperate counterpunch of the German armies, known as the Battle of the Bulge
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Recent Examples of counterpunch
While electric vehicles continue to gain ground, sustainable fuel solutions may offer internal combustion engines a counterpunch.
—
New Atlas, 20 July 2025
In the 1990s, heroin chic surged in popularity as women flooded law schools, boardrooms, and newsrooms in record numbers — a visual counterpunch to female ambition.
—Anne Marie Chaker, Time, 18 June 2025
The teams began trading big-time, tough layups as the game entered a punch, counterpunch rhythm down the stretch.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
Each team is poised for the counterpunch before the first punch is even thrown.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterpunch
New Atlas, 20 July 2025
In the 1990s, heroin chic surged in popularity as women flooded law schools, boardrooms, and newsrooms in record numbers — a visual counterpunch to female ambition.
—Anne Marie Chaker, Time, 18 June 2025
The teams began trading big-time, tough layups as the game entered a punch, counterpunch rhythm down the stretch.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
Each team is poised for the counterpunch before the first punch is even thrown.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterpunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterpunch
counterattack
Noun
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Manager Ronny Deila will lean heavily on captain Hans Vanaken and striker Andreas Skov Olsen to create chances on the counterattack.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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For its part, the Ukrainian military has claimed to have recovered some 70 square miles of territory in the Pokrovsk area over the past two months, in a series of counterattacks.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterpunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterpunch. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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