as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective
charitable giving is usually a good counterbalance to the self-indulgent commercialism of the Christmas season
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
a hearty dinner might counterbalance missing lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 counterbalance
Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
To be fair to Denver, there are counterbalances, and the Nuggets indeed lead the NBA in their frequency of shots taken at the rim, at 39.4%, with the Phoenix Suns last at 24.9%, and the Sacramento Kings next-lowest at 25.4%, according to Cleaning the Glass.
—Joel Rush, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
James Patton Rogers & Caroline Kennedy Pipe / Made By History , TIME, 23 Jan. 2025
The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence said the founding of Arbat in 2022 was an attempt to counterbalance the influence of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in the Russian private military company sector.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for counterbalance 
Noun
Michaels’s businesslike calm was a counterbalance to the whirling egos and animosities that drove his employees.
—Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
To be fair to Denver, there are counterbalances, and the Nuggets indeed lead the NBA in their frequency of shots taken at the rim, at 39.4%, with the Phoenix Suns last at 24.9%, and the Sacramento Kings next-lowest at 25.4%, according to Cleaning the Glass.
—Joel Rush, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
This happened at precisely the moment when Russia, having just lost the Crimean War, was seeking to counterbalance British power in the Pacific.
—James Patton Rogers & Caroline Kennedy Pipe / Made By History , TIME, 23 Jan. 2025
The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence said the founding of Arbat in 2022 was an attempt to counterbalance the influence of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in the Russian private military company sector.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for counterbalance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterbalance
Noun
-
Also, when airlines offer to sell you carbon offsets, your dollars don’t actually go toward slashing emissions from your flight.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Feb. 2025
-
Social Security benefit offsets could resume as early as August.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Its key trio of lactic acid, glycerin, and urea not only counteracts the look of crepey skin, but also neutralizes any irritation for some soothing relief.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Your healthcare provider may recommend or prescribe: Antacids: OTC antacids, such as Milk of Magnesia (magnesium hydroxide) and Tums (calcium carbonate), neutralize the effects of stomach acids to provide quick, short-term pain relief.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
This means that extras like roller attachments aren’t always parallel with the counter, causing pasta sheets to roll out unevenly and snag easily.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appétit,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Guests would offer up eyewitness stories on Bell’s show about alien counters, past lives, time travel and more X-File-like situations.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The DoJ has now corrected the error in subsequent legal filings.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Editor’s note: Bob Stark’s title has been corrected to global head of enablement. Send me a secure tip.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
But there’s another, more promising option for budget goals: structural balance targets that tie the spending and revenue trends together.—
Kurt Couchman,
National Review,
11 Feb. 2025
-
While markers of bone growth improved in both groups, only the vest set gained better balance.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Indeed, PBMs are a natural counterweight to big drug companies that typically charge whatever the market can bear for their products.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Antonio García—racing yacht engineer and uncle to Gazelle founder Jon Salazar—devised a dynamic floating platform with anchor lines attached to the seabed, accompanied by a counterweight that balances the platform in rough seas.—
Stephen Armstrong,
WIRED,
14 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near counterbalance
Cite this Entry
“Counterbalance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterbalance. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share