counterweight

American  

[koun-ter-weyt] / ˈkaʊn tərˌweɪt /

noun

1. a weight used as a counterbalance.

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verb (used with object)

1. to balance or equip with a counterweight.

counterweight British  

/ ˈkaʊntəˌweɪt /

noun

1. a counterbalancing weight, influence, or force

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Other Word Forms

• counterweighted adjective

Etymology

Origin of counterweight

First recorded in 1685–95; counter- + weight

Example Sentences

In December, the head of Hegseth’s church’s denomination, Doug Wilson, celebrated the secretary as a counterweight to “men with a My-Little-Pony fetish.”

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

Days later, Carney delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he urged smaller nations to band together as an economic counterweight to larger powers.

From Barron's • Jan. 24, 2026

The governor looked to define his legacy by touting California’s economic and policy achievements while casting the state as a counterweight to dysfunction in Washington.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

Under these conditions, Japan is in a position to play an even greater geopolitical role than simply a regional counterweight to China.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

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

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• equilibrium