Synonyms

counteract

American

[koun-ter-akt] / ˌkaʊn tərˈækt /

verb (used with object)

to act in opposition to; frustrate by contrary action.

Synonyms:

thwart, contravene, counterbalance, neutralize

counteract British

/ ˌkaʊntərˈækt /

verb

(tr) to oppose, neutralize, or mitigate the effects of by contrary action; check

"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

counteractant adjective
counteracter noun
counteractingly adverb
counteraction noun
counteractive adjective
counteractively adverb
counteractor noun
noncounteractive adjective
uncounteracted adjective

Etymology

Origin of counteract

First recorded in 1670–80; counter- + act

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.

The appeal its stance does have for some white working class voters in the constituency was insufficient to counteract that disadvantage.

From BBC

Congress intended this tariff clause as an emergency tool to counteract a payments “disequilibrium” caused by strains on currency reserve holdings.

From The Wall Street Journal

Stars shine because nuclear fusion in their cores converts hydrogen into helium, creating outward pressure that counteracts gravity.

From Science Daily

And with stocks wobbling the past two weeks, those numbers help counteract Wall Street’s latest myth: that today’s market, dominated by giant tech companies, is a monster that will stomp your index funds to bits.

From The Wall Street Journal

A Church of Ireland minister has said she hopes churches "feel emboldened to counteract racism whenever they see it".

From BBC

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