COUNTERS Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

counters 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of counter

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

counters

2 of 2

noun

plural of counter

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

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

Jeffco counters that changing policies would place the school district in violation of Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act, which protects transgender students’ access to facilities based on their gender identities. — Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 10 Aug. 2026 Setser counters that the world can’t afford to wait, given China could soon be exporting 20 million cars annually — double its current pace — or 1 in 3 autos sold outside the country. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026 But the Mercedes counters with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, more conventional physical controls, a richer dashboard presentation, and substantially more traditional luxury-car ambiance. — Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Odysseus counters that his lie helped win them the Trojan War, but Sinon fires back, saying that gives him no comfort when he is forced to wander among the dead. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 19 July 2026 The industry counters that US Food and Drug Administration and European regulators have said polystyrene poses no significant health risk when made and used properly. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 July 2026 Today, new research backed by OpenEvidence counters a high-profile study from a few weeks earlier. — Mario Aguilar, STAT, 9 July 2026 The book counters the modern obsession with algorithms and AI, arguing that the definitive differentiator in any successful modernization effort is organizational culture, psychological safety and human capability rather than the technology itself. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 29 June 2026 Iran counters that any inspections must await a final deal. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

Noun

Inside the home are ebonized bamboo floors, high ceilings, a marble floor-to-ceiling fireplace, and a chef’s kitchen with Brazilian granite counters. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 23 Aug. 2026 Monarch counters with senior athletes Sanje Fisher and Bryan Bynes, along with junior running back Keshawn Paschell. — Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026 The kitchen features porcelain counters with a matching backsplash, a waterfall island, Thermador appliances and connects to a large family room before extending to a private deck. — Lauryn Azu, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 The soft surface keeps your knives sharp, and the juice groove keeps everything contained for spill-free, clean counters. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2026 Tokar said that figure represents money spent at places such as hotels, rental car counters and restaurants — essentially spending that trickles down beyond the airport’s boundaries. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026 Bathrooms gleam with dark tile, marble counters, and gold hardware, stocked with Aesop products and Parachute towels. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026 Clean kitchen counters before and after meal prep, and deep clean washing machines and dishwashers every 1–2 months. — Kendall Bettle, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2026 Regularly wipe down counters to ensure the flies don’t find any food or remnants of sticky spills. — Emma Jacobson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for counters

Verb

Becerra, a California native born to Mexican immigrants, opposes what's known as the billionaire tax, on November's ballot.

— Christine Mai-Duc, NPR, 23 Aug. 2026
The Moon opposes Mars early, making impatience easier to trigger when comfort and action pull in different directions.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of opposes

Noun

And this does the latter quite nicely, the classic claret and blue along with a gold trim offsets the whole thing rather well.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
The article warns against complacency, noting that if these temporary offsets disappear and supply constraints persist, panic buying and momentum trading could drive prices significantly higher.

— Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of offsets

Verb

Meta has swooned as the company fights litigation alleging that the firm seeded addictive behavior in children.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
With only three ingredients—water, sodium chloride, and hypochlorous acid—the on-the-go spritzer soothes skin and fights bacteria.

— Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of fights

Noun

Student loan forgiveness programs haven't disappeared, but the route to having your loan balances discharged looks different now.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Her interpretation of modern woodae galbi balances grilled bite-size slices from beef short ribs along a dramatic dinosaur-size bone for a potentially perilous presentation.

— Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of balances

Verb

The Fed typically combats inflation by raising its benchmark interest rate to slow borrowing and spending and cool the economy.

— Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Zuckerberg also published a lengthy manifesto laying out his vision and approach to AI, attempting to assuage wide-ranging concerns about AI as the company combats criticisms about its data center buildout and AI smart glasses.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of combats

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