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

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

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing countermeasure

• counter-countermeasure
• electronic countermeasure

Rhymes for countermeasure

• displeasure
• leisure
• measure
• pleasure
• treasure

Kids Definition

countermeasure

noun

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

-ˌmāzh-

: an action or device designed to counteract another