counterweight

noun

coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)
: an equivalent weight or force : counterbalance
counterweight transitive verb

Examples of counterweight in a Sentence

The crane has a heavy counterweight on the back. hard work can often be a counterweight to modest intelligence
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.
First imposed in 1862 but allowed to lapse a decade later in the face of elite opposition, the income tax had served as a progressive counterweight to an array of regressive consumption taxes, including high tariffs and a wide array of excises. Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025 Such attention to nuance provides a critical counterweight to the fragmented, often hyperpartisan news bubbles that pervade cable news and social media. Stephanie A, The Conversation, 21 July 2025 Rubio has played up cooperation, including signing a civil-nuclear cooperation agreement with Malaysia, while Wang has railed against Trump’s threatened tariffs and projected China as a stable counterweight in talks with Southeast Asian counterparts on the sidelines. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 July 2025 India is a huge democracy and an effective economic and political counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific region. Christopher Shays, New York Daily News, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for counterweight

Word History

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterweight was in 1693

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Cite this Entry

“Counterweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterweight. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

counterweight

noun
coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on counterweight

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