counteroffensive
noun
coun·ter·of·fen·sive
ˈkau̇n-tər-ə-ˌfen(t)-siv 
: a large-scale military offensive undertaken by a force previously on the defensive
Synonyms
Examples of counteroffensive in a Sentence
They mounted a counteroffensive against the enemy.
the army launched a counteroffensive at dawn
Recent Examples on the Web
In the lead-up to Ukraine’s southern counteroffensive, which kicked off in June 2023, Ukrainian brigades equipped and trained for one of the most difficult maneuvers in land warfare: a breach.
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David Axe, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
However, the war has reached a new stage as Zelensky confirmed on Saturday that Ukrainian forces moved into Russia as part of a surprise counteroffensive.
—Conrad Hoyt, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Aug. 2024
Advertisement Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war — triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis and an Israeli counteroffensive that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians — Barghouti has been lobbying Americans to intervene.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024
Moscow’s slow, grinding offensive along the entire frontline has been forcing Ukraine to commit to defensive operations rather than gear up for a counteroffensive.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 13 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counteroffensive 
David Axe, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
However, the war has reached a new stage as Zelensky confirmed on Saturday that Ukrainian forces moved into Russia as part of a surprise counteroffensive.
—Conrad Hoyt, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Aug. 2024
Advertisement Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war — triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis and an Israeli counteroffensive that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians — Barghouti has been lobbying Americans to intervene.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024
Moscow’s slow, grinding offensive along the entire frontline has been forcing Ukraine to commit to defensive operations rather than gear up for a counteroffensive.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 13 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counteroffensive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'counteroffensive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Counteroffensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counteroffensive. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
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counteroffensive
noun
coun·ter·of·fen·sive
ˈkau̇nt-ə-rə-ˌfen(t)-siv
: a large-scale counterattack
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