as in opposes
to strive to reduce or eliminate
efforts to counter poverty in every sector of our country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
Iran counters with its own missile attacks on Israel.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
Eventually, Angelica says that Audrey wasn’t funny, which Audrey counters by saying that people were laughing, which is pretty good evidence that Angelica is wrong.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
Van Noy counters this by layering in live greenery.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 20 Feb. 2026
Ukraine counters Russia by arguing against giving up territory that Russia hasn't been able to claim during the war.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
Altman counters that Musk wants to take OpenAI down to boost his own xAI business.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Feb. 2026
If anything, cigarettes take it a step further; offering a tactile respite that counters the plastic rigidity of vapes.
—Gabriella Onessimo, Allure, 23 Jan. 2026
Where can one go to hear the moral sanity that counters the grudgeful actions of the American president?
—Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Coffee spots like Pangolin Cafe fuel early trail missions; late nights steer you to craft cocktails, ramen counters, and bars with live local music.
—Ted Alvarez, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
There's more to cleaning your kitchen than wiping down the counters.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
From century-old butcher counters to modern beer halls and beloved neighborhood bars, every kitchen puts its own spin on this comfort-food icon — and every Iowan has an opinion about who does it best.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 4 Mar. 2026
The artists share an attraction to the gleaming counters and alluring rows of postwar consumer culture, but Parr holds his gaze longer, seeking the nausea after the binge.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2026
Nominate your favorite sit-down-style delis (sorry, no counters or takeout spots this time) for our 2026 Best of South Florida Dining series.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Police allege that the man and an uncharged accomplice would typically jump over the shops’ counters and raid the cash registers, or simply grab the cash registers and run.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Dish towels are not far behind, especially when used to dry hands, wipe counters, and clean up spills during the day.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
That single data point directly counters the intuition many biology students and working scientists hold that vertebrate taxonomy is essentially finished.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
Iran counters with its own missile attacks on Israel.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
Eventually, Angelica says that Audrey wasn’t funny, which Audrey counters by saying that people were laughing, which is pretty good evidence that Angelica is wrong.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
Van Noy counters this by layering in live greenery.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 20 Feb. 2026
Ukraine counters Russia by arguing against giving up territory that Russia hasn't been able to claim during the war.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
Altman counters that Musk wants to take OpenAI down to boost his own xAI business.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Feb. 2026
If anything, cigarettes take it a step further; offering a tactile respite that counters the plastic rigidity of vapes.
—Gabriella Onessimo, Allure, 23 Jan. 2026
Where can one go to hear the moral sanity that counters the grudgeful actions of the American president?
—Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
The project also added ticket counters, and airport officials expect to open three new gates in late spring or early summer.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Coffee spots like Pangolin Cafe fuel early trail missions; late nights steer you to craft cocktails, ramen counters, and bars with live local music.
—Ted Alvarez, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
There's more to cleaning your kitchen than wiping down the counters.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
From century-old butcher counters to modern beer halls and beloved neighborhood bars, every kitchen puts its own spin on this comfort-food icon — and every Iowan has an opinion about who does it best.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 4 Mar. 2026
The artists share an attraction to the gleaming counters and alluring rows of postwar consumer culture, but Parr holds his gaze longer, seeking the nausea after the binge.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2026
Nominate your favorite sit-down-style delis (sorry, no counters or takeout spots this time) for our 2026 Best of South Florida Dining series.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Police allege that the man and an uncharged accomplice would typically jump over the shops’ counters and raid the cash registers, or simply grab the cash registers and run.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Dish towels are not far behind, especially when used to dry hands, wipe counters, and clean up spills during the day.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counters
Verb
-
China, top Iran oil buyer, opposes war Smoke rises from Israeli bombardment on the southern Lebanese village of Khiam on March 4, 2026.—
Kevin Breuninger,Sam Meredith,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Progressive groups are vowing to mount challenges from the left to any lawmaker who opposes the war powers vote, Axios reported.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
And for the environmentally conscious, Avocado is a B-Corp brand that uses renewable energy at their factories and purchases carbon offsets for shipping.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Not only were their engagement rings polar opposites, but the manner in which each proposal went down reflected the differences between Diana and Camilla’s relationships with Charles.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
7 Mar. 2026
-
But while their games have some similarities, their personalities on the court are polar opposites.—
Colby Gordon,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These are intriguing threads Disco almost fights.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
-
As the war enters its next phase, the side with the deeper arsenal may ultimately determine who fights till the end.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The big benefit of this route is that debt relief companies specialize in negotiating with creditors to reduce balances and establish repayment agreements.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Median balances of $2,000 for boomers and $500 for Gen Xers, from Empower, reinforce the picture.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This combats dynamic pricing based on your search history, which could lead to higher fares.—
Christopher Elliott,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
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
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Counters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counters. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
