countermeasure

noun

coun·​ter·​mea·​sure ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌme-zhər How to pronounce countermeasure (audio)
-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

Examples of countermeasure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Most Common Bluetooth Security Threats Understanding prevalent Bluetooth threats and applying robust countermeasures is essential to protect our devices and sensitive data. Alex Vakulov, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025 If the tariffs and countermeasures take effect, there will likely be chaos at the borders as many companies and government agencies seem unprepared for the sudden imposition of the new rules. Don Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2025 More countermeasures Since the bird flu outbreak began in dairy cows, the primary tool that public health officials have relied on hasn’t been vaccines but antivirals such as Tamiflu. Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025 Beijing responded swiftly on Tuesday to the tariffs President Trump had promised, announcing a fusillade of countermeasures targeting American companies and imports of critical products. Ana Swanson, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for countermeasure

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of countermeasure was in 1923

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Countermeasure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/countermeasure. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

countermeasure

noun
coun·​ter·​mea·​sure ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌmezh-ər How to pronounce countermeasure (audio)
-ˌmāzh-
: an action or device designed to counteract another

More from Merriam-Webster on countermeasure

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!