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counterweight

American  
[kaun-ter-wayt] / ˈkaʊn tərˌweɪt /

noun

  1. a weight used as a counterbalance.


verb (used with object)

  1. to balance or equip with a counterweight.

counterweight British  
/ ˈkaʊntəˌweɪt /

noun

  1. a counterbalancing weight, influence, or force

"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

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of counterweight

First recorded in 1685–95; counter- + weight


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:

This stems from a contemporary desire in Sweden and Norway to create a counterweight to the nationalistic use of the Viking Age that is often directed against Muslims.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

Tarlov, 42, has been a sturdy liberal counterweight at “The Five,” which averages 3.5 million viewers daily, according to Nielsen.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

The market has found support with summer heat lasting into September, while solid production and comfortable inventory levels act as a counterweight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Haakon has said Mette-Marit helped him come out of his shell and described her as an emotional counterweight to his analytical mind.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

The Brookhaven National Laboratory was conceived as a powerful regional counterweight to Berkeley.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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