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counterpunch

American

[koun-ter-puhnch] / ˈkaʊn tərˌpʌntʃ /

noun

counterblow.

counterpunch British

/ ˈkaʊntəˌpʌntʃ /

verb

to punch an attacking opponent; return an attack

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

a return punch

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of counterpunch

First recorded in 1675–85; counter- + punch ¹

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.

Jaxson Hayes was out of the postseason rotation last year and is now an important counterpunch behind Ayton.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026

Typically, he loves to counterpunch against criticism, but oddly, this time, he didn’t.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

The U.S. bond market went into a tailspin, and Beijing’s counterpunch caused stocks to plummet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

A.I. researchers churn frequently at all levels, a former Meta A.I. employee told me, so a vigorous counterpunch to OpenAI entices them to spend time at Meta and do groundbreaking work.

From Slate • Oct. 30, 2023

His immediate reaction was to counterpunch but he held himself in control.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023