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counterweight

noun

ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)
Definition of counterweightnext
as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective hard work can often be a counterweight to modest intelligence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 counterweight Back to the turntable portion, an Audio-Technica AT3600L cartridge is pre-mounted to a carbon fiber tonearm with an adjustable counterweight. — Brad Moon, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 In other words, emotion, empathy and irrationality could be seen as some of the most powerful counterweights to AI. — Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026 Ornelas and some of her colleagues have recently created the Health and Power Organizing Project, a coalition of academics and advocates to provide a counterweight to political headwinds. — Anil Oza, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026 When the counterweight drops, its momentum raises the other end of the seesaw, tossing the sling up in a big arc. — ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for counterweight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterweight
  1. offset
  2. counter
  3. balance
  4. counterbalance
  5. corrective
Noun
  • Step 6 Run a small offset spatula around edges of cake to loosen, then invert out onto rack.
    — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Chinese Money Plant Chinese money plants (Pilea peperomioides) often produce offsets or baby plants, which are easy to divide and repot into their own containers.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of offset
Noun
  • Ask to eat a meal at the chef’s counter; watching the young kitchen team work is its own show.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026
  • In the play’s first act, men show up at a dive bar in Kingston, New York, order a Bud Light, and hand over an envelope to the disaffected man behind the counter named Joey (played by Bubba Weiler) before heading to a back room.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of counter
Noun
  • Eve maintains its balance without crutches or a walker, leaving users’ hands free for everyday activities.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The Brazilian lost his balance and braced his left arm on the canvas to break his fall, but his elbow dislocated.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of balance
Noun
  • That said, the actress playing the diminutive vigilante — a remarkable Sneha Kumari — drums up just enough passion and intrigue to counterbalance this relatively rote unfurling.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2026
  • India continues to value the stability of its relationship with Washington, particularly as a counterbalance to China’s expanding influence in Asia and beyond.
    — Ian Bremmer, Time, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of counterbalance
Noun
  • State Board of Education member Brandon Hall, a pastor from Weatherford who voted for the mandate, framed the changes as a corrective.
    — Rachel Royster. Produced with AI assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026
  • Officials argue that graduate debt accounts for more than one-third of the federal student loan portfolio, making tightening limits a necessary fiscal corrective.
    — David S. Shapiro, STAT, 30 June 2026
Definition of corrective

Browse Nearby Words

counterviews
counterweight
counterweights
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Counterweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterweight. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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