countervail

[koun-ter-veyl]

verb (used with object)

1. to act or avail against with equal power, force, or effect; counteract.

   Synonyms: neutralize, counterpoise, counterbalance

2. to furnish an equivalent of or a compensation for; offset.

3. Archaic.,  to equal.

verb (used without object)

1. to be of equal force in opposition; avail.

countervail

/ ˌkaʊntəˈveɪl, ˈkaʊntəˌveɪl /

verb

1. to act or act against with equal power or force

2. (tr) to make up for; compensate; offset

Other Word Forms

• uncountervailed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of countervail¹

1350–1400; Middle English contrevailen < Anglo-French countrevail-, tonic stem (subjunctive) of countrevaloir to equal, be comparable to < Latin phrase contrā valēre to be of worth against (someone or something). See counter-, -valent

Word History and Origins

Origin of countervail¹

C14: from Old French contrevaloir, from Latin contrā valēre, from contrā against + valēre to be strong

Example Sentences

But COVID, for me, felt like when the last link was cut, this old idea of democracy, that it could be sort of a countervailing force against power, tech, finance.

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The countervailing and anti-dumping duties, as these tariffs are known, vary between companies and the countries their products are made in.

Read more on BBC

Some companies are moving their production into countries that are not on the anti-dumping or countervailing tax lists of the U.S.

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Constant sorrow coexists with countervailing strength and perseverance.

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That they, too, can claim reality is whatever they want it to be, and relish how much it "triggers" the liberals to keep insisting on a lie in the face of countervailing evidence.

Read more on Salon