counterweight

noun

coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)
: an equivalent weight or force : counterbalance
counterweight transitive verb

Examples of counterweight in a Sentence

The crane has a heavy counterweight on the back. hard work can often be a counterweight to modest intelligence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Caught between these poles is Europe, once seen as a potential counterweight to the power of Big Tech. Ian Bremmer, Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2025 Many Latin American governments also want to keep Beijing onside — chiefly as an economic partner, but for some also as a counterweight to U.S. power, experts said. Chris Buckley, New York Times, 12 May 2025 By electing Prevost, the cardinals have ensured the papacy is a prophetic voice on the world stage that could serve as a counterweight to Trumpism. Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 11 May 2025 While President Trump’s high tariffs proposed for Vietnam have thrown a wrench into deepening ties, Vietnam continues to view the United States as a critical security counterweight to China, its northern neighbor. Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for counterweight

Word History

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterweight was in 1693

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Cite this Entry

“Counterweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterweight. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

counterweight

noun
coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on counterweight

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