counteract
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
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.
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
Senescent cells appear to survive by producing unusually high levels of GPX4 to counteract the dangerous conditions inside the cell.
From Science Daily • May 13, 2026
As inflation surged in 2021 and 2022, lower PCE readings created less urgency for the Fed to raise rates and counteract what it at the time referred to as transitory inflation.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
The question is, how does A.I.-based research either reinforce or counteract the biases in information-gathering processes that journalists already use?
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026
I can’t even sit long enough to draw—I’m pacing back and forth on deck to counteract the motion of the sea again.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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.
