counterbalance

1 of 2

noun

coun·​ter·​bal·​ance ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌba-lən(t)s How to pronounce counterbalance (audio)
ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈba-
1
: a weight that balances another
2
: a force or influence that offsets or checks an opposing force

counterbalance

2 of 2

verb

coun·​ter·​bal·​ance ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈba-lən(t)s How to pronounce counterbalance (audio)
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌba-
counterbalanced; counterbalancing; counterbalances

transitive verb

1
: to oppose or balance with an equal weight or force
2
: to equip with counterbalances

Examples of counterbalance in a Sentence

Noun charitable giving is usually a good counterbalance to the self-indulgent commercialism of the Christmas season Verb The author's wry humor counterbalances the book's serious subject matter. a hearty dinner might counterbalance missing lunch
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Vietnam has long argued it should be freed of the NME label given recent economic reforms and that retaining the moniker is bad for increasingly close two-way ties that Washington sees as a counterbalance to China. Reuters, NBC News, 26 Sep. 2024 Audiences might seek out films that promise genuine human emotion and originality, providing a counterbalance to the polished but potentially soulless productions of AI. Gerui Wang, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024
Verb
The tech and auto sectors helped counterbalance lingering inflation concerns, though investors remain cautious about the Federal Reserve’s next moves. Brooke Seipel, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2024 Economists have warned that a declining birth rate, and aging population, could spell disaster for the nation’s Social Security program—without enough young, working people to counterbalance the number of Social Security dependents, the existing system isn’t sustainable. Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for counterbalance 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'counterbalance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterbalance was circa 1611

Dictionary Entries Near counterbalance

Cite this Entry

“Counterbalance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterbalance. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

counterbalance

1 of 2 noun
coun·​ter·​bal·​ance ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌbal-ən(t)s How to pronounce counterbalance (audio)
ˌkau̇nt-ər-ˈbal-
1
: a weight that balances another
2
: a force or influence that checks an opposing force

counterbalance

2 of 2 verb
: to oppose or balance with an equal weight or force

More from Merriam-Webster on counterbalance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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