counters 1 of 2

Definition of countersnext
present tense third-person singular of counter

counters

2 of 2

noun

plural of counter
1
as in offsets
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective strong moral guidance at home is the best counter to the pernicious allure of popular culture

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in opposites
something that is as different as possible from something else her version of the domestic dispute was almost the exact counter of what actually happened

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of counters
Verb
The symbolism of a Caucasian family welcoming a stranger — an immigrant who doesn’t look like them — to share their abode, forcefully counters how immigrants to our shores often are othered and ostracized. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025 But Drew Baldridge counters the idea that nice guys are losers. Tom Roland, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2025 The Justice Department counters that legal principle is for governmental agencies, not for the president. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025 But the administration counters that the MQD has never before been applied to presidential actions regarding foreign affairs. James Sample, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025 Dunkle says Trollinger counters his lack of size with surprising speed for the position. Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025 Beijing is likely to respond with diplomatic criticism and even economic coercion if Takaichi increases Tokyo’s support of Taiwan, counters China’s maritime expansionism, or manages to revise Japan’s postwar pacifist constitution. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025 The musical both reflects that sexism and counters it. Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025 Asked about the potential for his inventions to cause suffering rather than liberation, Adcock counters with optimism. Billy Perrigo, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
Accessibility There’s a wheelchair accessible ramp at The Pointe Restaurant, and elevators for access to all public areas and guestrooms with specific rooms featuring lower counters and accessible showers and balconies. Jennie Nunn, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026 Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams had the perfect counters for Minnesota’s defense. Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026 According to Thomas Borcherding, owner of Homestar Design Remodel, these counters are now proving difficult to balance in real homes. Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026 Plus, knife-specific ones cover the blades to protect your hands while keeping your counters clear of bulky knife blocks. Bridget Reed Morawski, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2026 Focus on high-visibility, high-touch areas like kitchen counters, tables, glass, faucets, and sinks. Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 4 Jan. 2026 Damp Items Washcloths, dish towels, loofahs, and wet sponges should never be left on the counters. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2026 From the counters to the cabinets and the pantry, the kitchen is one of the most clutter-prone rooms in the house. Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026 The defense counters that there was also a flashing light. Noel Murray, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counters
Verb
  • Roarke LaCoursiere, with the Indiana Catholic Conference, said the organization opposes the bill because while its members stand with the victims and their families, the death penalty doesn’t bring about justice.
    Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
  • The governor rightly opposes raising nation-leading personal income taxes but may be cracking open the door to raising business or other taxes to respond to federal cuts.
    Andrew Rein, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Houses have been being built here since the early 1900s, and so there's different offsets.
    Ted Scouten, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Carbon offsets in sports are also in the news, with scandals erupting around them in connection with sports from FIFA’s 2022 World Cup to basketball’s LA Clippers.
    Brian P. McCullough, The Conversation, 10 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • To me, the best friends to hang out with are those that, despite our commonality, are opposites of me in some ways as well.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Authoritarianism and libertarianism are commonly thought of as opposites—two poles on a political spectrum.
    Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Eleven finds her way to them, jumping inside the Mind Flayer to destroy Vecna, who’s controlling it from within, while Will fights telepathically from the outside, no longer empathetic or afraid to go toe to toe with his former saboteur.
    Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
  • Ucg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Novo Nordisk’s shift from a market darling to a serious underperformer has set the stage for a transitional 2026 as the Danish drugmaker fights to regain investor confidence in its weight loss business.
    Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Washington’s neutrality preserved the republic’s future, enabling economic expansion under the funding system Hamilton designed, territorial growth through the Louisiana Purchase and beyond, and eventual emergence as a great power capable of tipping global balances.
    Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Millions of people who sometimes pay off their balances could also face new restrictions, the group said.
    Joe Walsh, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The Last Gift Study, launched in 2017, combats that issue by conducting an autopsy immediately after a patient’s death.
    Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
  • Fit was prioritized on the upper, which combats wrinkles at the toe box and hosts a better lacing system and a new heel sling.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 5 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • These are not radical demands, but overdue correctives necessary for restoring public trust in higher education.
    Ilya Shapiro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Counters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counters. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

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