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counter

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noun

1
as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective strong moral guidance at home is the best counter to the pernicious allure of popular culture

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in opposite
something that is as different as possible from something else her version of the domestic dispute was almost the exact counter of what actually happened

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

counter

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adjective

counter

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adverb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of counter
Verb
Baeza’s second-class-citizen status, glaringly disproportionate to his athletic gifts, runs directly counter to the core raison d’etre of the Derby’s points system, which was instituted twelve years ago to distill the talent selected for the Kentucky Derby gate. Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 And Trump is acting counter to federal law in doing so, which is no surprise for him. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 June 2025
Noun
Residents have countered, however, that that doesn’t give the city the right to deprive them of voting on the change. Miami Herald, 14 July 2025 Democrats need a net gain of three House seats to break the GOP’s chokehold on Washington and reestablish a power center to counter Trump. Bill Barrow, Twin Cities, 14 July 2025
Adjective
Don't use the same cloth to wipe up a messy floor and a counter. Switch to microfiber dish and cleaning cloths. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 July 2025 Beef fans, meanwhile, should make a beeline for Wine Stand 88, a tiny counter shop that sells roast wagyu sandwiches. Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025
Adverb
Robert Holden, a Queens City Council member that represents the area, shared a video on X during the 2024 raid that showed a sheriff’s deputy flipping a switch that changed the counter display glass from frosted to clear, revealing shelves of illicit weed products. Ashley Southall, New York Times, 15 May 2025 The duo has given readers and Korean food enthusiasts a counter seat to a Masterclass in Korean cooking from Sarah’s mom, a former restauranteur. Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for counter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counter
Verb
  • This is apt when considering the impacts of the Trump administration’s policy agenda, which has generated various opposing forces on economic growth this year.
    Jeffrey Schulze, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Washington County Treasurer and task force Chair Scott Henke said three of the five task force members opposed Accel's plan.
    Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Debt underwriting revenue, however, was a slight offset, declining slightly due to lower leveraged finance activity.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 16 July 2025
  • At that rate, afforestation offsets would cost the 200 largest fossil fuel companies around $10.8 trillion — or roughly 11% of global GDP, according to the study.
    Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • Best known for playing whatever the opposite of a manic pixie dream girl is on The Bear, Gordon is particularly good at giving you someone who takes the idea of desperate times requiring desperate measures, and maybe a manic episode or two, to extremes.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2025
  • Really the opposite of the Biden administration entirely.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 23 July 2025
Adjective
  • In certain pockets, across some EU countries, this sort of geo-arbitrage or the existence of golden visas are viewed as negative, because of the view that expats can price locals out of the market for rents and cost of living.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • In the early films, there are very negative human examples and very positive Na’vis examples.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 July 2025
Adverb
  • An extra defender would allow the left centre-back to push across, defending the wide areas and spaces where Maatsen can be vulnerable.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 July 2025
  • Depending on the impact location, larger space rocks—those that measure in at over 500 feet across—can cause deaths across populated metro areas and states, says NASA.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Experts say the relatively simple way to survive this current is to float, stay as calm as possible and don’t fight it.
    Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 21 July 2025
  • The tribe also has fought to preserve shrinking numbers of the c'waam and koptu, two fish species central to the three tribal cultures that form the tribe.
    Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • Her look included an A-line poplin skirt with crisp pleats that create shape and volume and a simple white tank top, striking the perfect balance between polished and relaxed.
    Nicol Natale, People.com, 19 July 2025
  • Each society or jurisdiction will determine the right balance of these elements to achieve the overarching policy goals under a set of normative values.
    Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Adjective
  • Five days later, on July 8, an attorney for the city manager submitted a letter of potential claim against the city citing defamation, harassment and creation of a hostile work environment.
    Anita Edmondson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2025
  • In early October 2022, the ruling said, McCarty filed a hostile work environment complaint with the police department.
    Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2025

Cite this Entry

“Counter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counter. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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