counterclaim
Americannoun
verb (used with or without object)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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counterclaimsimple
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counterclaimssimple
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have counterclaimedperfect
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has counterclaimedperfect
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am counterclaimingprogressive
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are counterclaimingprogressive
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is counterclaimingprogressive
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have been counterclaimingperfect progressive
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has been counterclaimingperfect progressive
Past
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counterclaimedsimple
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had counterclaimedperfect
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was counterclaimingprogressive
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were counterclaimingprogressive
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had been counterclaimingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of counterclaim
Explanation
When one person sues another in a court of law and the defendant responds by filing their own lawsuit against that person, that's a counterclaim. If your neighbor sues you because you're collecting junky cars in your shared driveway, you might file a counterclaim stating that they stole property when they hauled one of the old cars to the town dump. Another way to use this word is to mean "opposing argument." In a debate, when you state that school lunch should be free for everyone, your opponent may present a counterclaim that the income from selling food helps the school in the long run.
Vocabulary lists containing counterclaim
The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 1
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Against All Odds: Contra and Counter
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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 1
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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.
See Examples For:
Amid claim and counterclaim Russia on Friday had requested an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Shell filed a counterclaim accusing Cipriani of extortion and defamation, while Paramount called the allegations “frivolous.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
Shkreli this week filed a counterclaim in federal court in New York against RZA, also known as Robert Diggs, along with Azzougarh and PleasrDAO, a digital art collective that purchased the album.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
In addition to the counterclaim, Robinson’s legal team filed a motion to strike the accusers’ initial lawsuit, finding issue with their decision to remain anonymous.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2025
In all the discussions of the question of the amount of indemnity we never hear anything of the amount of counterclaim which the Chinese might rightfully make against us.
From Impressions of a War Correspondent by Lynch, George
In Joby’s motion to dismiss Archer’s counterclaims months later, Joby wrote that Archer was “attempting to recapture the narrative” and that its claims “do not deny that Joby is ahead.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
Grappling with the counterclaims would have made their assertions about the food environment more persuasive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2025
But I don't think that any of us were prepared for the number, and the defamation claims, and the counterclaims to the defamation claims.
From Salon ● May 29, 2024
Priya Chaudhry, a lawyer acting on behalf of Majors, said the lawsuit was "no surprise" and that Majors was "preparing counterclaims against Ms Jabbari".
From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2024
Even in actions of strict law counterclaims have been permitted since a rescript of the Emperor Marcus, the defendant meeting the plaintiff's claim by a plea of fraud.
From The Institutes of Justinian by Moyle, John Baron
Italy counterclaimed that after being found by Italian fishermen, it had been exported illegally from Italy.
From New York Times ● May 2, 2024
Then, American counterclaimed, saying Dad broke the contract by improperly using the companion feature.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 20, 2019
N. E. A. counterclaimed that not one of its 500 clients had dropped Hoople for Puffle.
From Time Magazine Archive
PP is counterclaiming £344,000 in ground rent, plus another £286,000 of interest and costs.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2025
All that counterclaiming and crossclaiming might be avoided by settling, but the large number of litigants and of lawyers — 15 at last count — still points to a protracted process, legal experts say.
From Seattle Times ● May 28, 2023
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.
