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Synonyms

counterweight

American  
[koun-ter-weyt] / 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:

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

Now the honest counterweight, because every scare story deserves one.

From MarketWatch Jul. 28, 2026

Public First says it is a counterweight to the other major AI spender, Leading the Future, which is funded by tech titans including a top executive at OpenAI and venture firm Andreessen Horowitz.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 22, 2026

The artificial-intelligence boom has been a major counterweight to the energy crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 17, 2026

She was her resourceful self, but she was also an instinctive counterweight to Ralph’s activity — a fixed center.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

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