1
as in equilibrium
a condition in which opposing forces are equal to one another
a musical piece with a counterpoise of loud and soft passages
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective
the happiness brought by a new baby was a timely counterpoise to the grief occasioned by a death in the family
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
her overall healthiness largely counterpoised the virulence of the infection
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Recent Examples of counterpoise
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023
What’s most remarkable about Torruella’s film is its counterpoise between the sense of raging injustice and the island’s mystic stillness.
—Amada Torruella, The New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2023
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
Conflicts of interest are objective situations that arise when a person’s financial interests can be counterpoised to their public responsibilities.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 29 Nov. 2018
Noun
Molina, the embodiment of theatrical excellence, is perfectly cast as the rational counterpoise to Brady’s zealotry.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023
What’s most remarkable about Torruella’s film is its counterpoise between the sense of raging injustice and the island’s mystic stillness.
—Amada Torruella, The New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2023
Verb
Indeed, the Western, that peculiarly American contribution to the world’s store of epic and saga, often depends on the tale of a defeated Confederate at large to enforce virtue, someone whose heroic individualism is counterpoised with the superficial discipline of the federal troops.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
Conflicts of interest are objective situations that arise when a person’s financial interests can be counterpoised to their public responsibilities.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 29 Nov. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterpoise
Noun
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Finding this equilibrium is essential to ensuring both security and progress can coexist.Rizwan Jan, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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The ecosystem must work together to get over the cost hurdle and adjust the formula, achieving equilibrium to make AI really work for our society.Kai-Fu Lee, WIRED, 26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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This includes teachers, firefighters, police officers and their spouses, all of which deal with the impacts of the windfall elimination provision (WEP) and the government pension offset (GPO).Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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Other forms of carbon removal, notably planting forests, are much cheaper than DAC, and removal offsets also compete with offsets for renewable energy, which avoid emitting new emissions.Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 18 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Correction: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Benetton.Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024
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The vague text was introduced into the law by Congress in April, with Democrats in the Senate promising to correct the issue later this year.Dell Cameron, WIRED, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The clip shows Barrymore sitting at a counter reading a magazine and wearing a navy peacoat and striped knit beanie.Shyla Watson, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
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These boards sit untouched on the counter because Meredith simply cannot have people over without a charcuterie board on hand, regardless of their practicality.Kinsey Jasnoch, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Daisy neutralizes these tactics by remaining calm, turning the conversation into a time-wasting loop that leaves the scammer with nothing to show for their effort.Lars Daniel, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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And in immediate response to these menacing words, the defendant, Daniel Penny, this man, took it upon himself to take down Jordan Neely, to neutralize him.Adam Iscoe, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The Results Great Value's Cream Cheese won consistently high marks across all of our editors' tastings for its balance of sweetness, tartness, and saltiness.Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024
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Another tap brings up features such as white balance and the shutter timer.David Nield, WIRED, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Moscow, in particular, is concerned about losing key military installations that its sees as a counterweight to NATO in the region — a naval base at Tartus on the Mediterranean coast and the Hmeimim air base in Syria's Latakia province.Scott Neuman, NPR, 10 Dec. 2024
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At a time of year when to-do lists become gargantuan and materialism rockets, religious practitioners from a variety of Christian denominations say that the spiritual practice of Advent provides a counterweight to the Christmas season’s commercialism.Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near counterpoise
Cite this Entry
“Counterpoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterpoise. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
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