counteract
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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noncounteractiveadjective
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counteractionnoun
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uncounteractedadjective
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counteractantadjective
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counteractinglyadverb
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counteractivelyadverb
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counteracternoun
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counteractiveadjective
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counteractornoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has counteractedperfect 3rd person singular
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have counteractedperfect
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have been counteractingperfect progressive
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am counteractingprogressive 1st person singular
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are counteractingprogressive
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has been counteractingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is counteractingprogressive 3rd person singular
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counteractingparticiple
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counteractssingular 3rd person
Past
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had counteractedperfect
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were counteractingprogressive plural
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was counteractingprogressive singular
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had been counteractingperfect progressive
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counteractedsimple
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counteractedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of counteract
Explanation
To counteract is to work against something in an attempt to reverse it or cancel it out. You can try to counteract the neighbors' annoyance at your loud music by bringing them some homemade brownies. When you counteract something, you act counter — or in opposition — to it. To counteract rising global temperatures, we have to reduce the greenhouse gases flowing into the atmosphere. In order to counteract the effects of a long sleepless night, you may want to drink a cup of coffee or tea. And a good way to counteract a limited vocabulary is to learn a new word every day!
Vocabulary lists containing counteract
"Don't ban peanuts at school"
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Academic Vocabulary, Unit 3
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Part 3 Vocabulary (Unit 3)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The European Central Bank’s monetary policy decision on Thursday is the week’s highlight, where a 25-basis-point interest-rate hike is fully expected to counteract inflationary impacts from higher oil prices due to the Middle East conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Briant said she believes that the only way to counteract increased manipulation through social media influencers is to impose harsh penalties when paid content is not disclosed.
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026
“Therefore, a drop in U.S. equity prices is needed to unleash disinflationary forces in the broader economy and counteract the inflationary impulse from higher oil and food prices,” Budaghyan said.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
A diet packed with fruit and vegetables, rather than going all in on ultra-processed foods, will contain potassium, which can counteract some of the impact of salt.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
By putting two gold-covered plates on a sensitive twist-measuring device, he determined how much force it took to counteract the Casimir force between them.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
