countermeasure

noun

coun·​ter·​mea·​sure ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌme-zhər 

-ˌmā-

: an action or device designed to negate or offset another

The most well-known countermeasure by a physician is a malicious-persecution suit against the lawyer who sued him and failed to prove a case.

—William J. Curran

The Germans had developed a tricky magnetic mine, but the British had developed a countermeasure for this even before the mine was used.

—Bernard Brodie and Fawn M. Brodie

especially : electronic countermeasure

Examples of countermeasure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Understanding those motivations is essential to anticipating future nuclear development, deployment, and employment strategies, as well as Beijing’s potential responses to U.S. countermeasures. —Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2024

While some security professionals have given the firm credit, at times, for working hard to find and disclose new vulnerabilities, the sheer volume and cadence of vulnerabilities requiring serious countermeasures has surely stuck with some. —Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 5 Apr. 2024

This works part and parcel with kooks like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who’ve been on the anti-vaccine train for years before unfortunately finding more widespread appeal during the backlash to COVID countermeasures. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2024

In an attempt last year to thwart Lapsley’s initiative, Democrats in the Legislature voted to place a countermeasure on the ballot called Assembly Constitutional Amendment 13 to raise the bar for the tax measure — and others like it — to be approved by voters. —Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing countermeasure

• counter-countermeasure
• electronic countermeasure

Kids Definition

countermeasure

noun

coun·​ter·​mea·​sure ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌmezh-ər 

-ˌmāzh-

: an action or device designed to counteract another