countersuit

noun

coun·​ter·​suit ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌsüt 

variants or less commonly counter-suit

plural countersuits also counter-suits

: an opposing lawsuit

especially : a claim asserted by an opposing party in a lawsuit (such as a defendant) against the party bringing the original lawsuit (such as a plaintiff) : counterclaim

decided to file a countersuit against her accuser

The current appeal results from a patent infringement suit and countersuit between Apple Inc. ("Apple") and Samsung Electronics Co …

—Apple, Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., 816 F. 3d 788 (2016)

Examples of countersuit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His $400 million countersuit, alleging extortion and defamation, has since been dismissed by the judge. —Elizabeth Rosner, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025

Dailey denies the allegations and filed a countersuit accusing Mayor Jason Beck and other officials of trying to discredit her with the Attorney General’s Office, but a judge dismissed her countersuit in January. —Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 26 Nov. 2025

Watson on Wednesday morning filed an objection to Lopez’s countersuit. —Kansas City Star, 26 Nov. 2025

Today, Range’s outside counsel Samplin and Snyder swipe away CAA’s response to their client’s countersuit by doubling down on the noncompete of it all. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for countersuit

• absolute
• arrowroot
• attribute
• bitterroot
• constitute
• convolute
• destitute
• disrepute
• dissolute
• execute
• institute
• involute