Verb
her overall healthiness largely counterpoised the virulence of the infection Noun
a musical piece with a counterpoise of loud and soft passages
the happiness brought by a new baby was a timely counterpoise to the grief occasioned by a death in the family
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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
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
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English countrepesen, from Anglo-French contrepeser, from cuntre- + peser to weigh — more at poise
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