as in attack
an attack made to counter an enemy's attack
suddenly the tide of battle turned, and the rebels, who had been falling back, made a furious counterattack
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Recent Examples of counterattack
And a whistle was called for offside, ending the counterattack.
—
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
The rest of the match saw the West German team fend off relentless Hungarian attacks before Rahn scored his second goal in a shocking German counterattack with only six minutes left on the clock, pulling off a miracle comeback victory.
—
Tushaar Kuthiala,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 June 2026
Such tactics are designed to improve strike effectiveness against targets while also increasing survivability by complicating an adversary’s ability to neutralize launch units during a counterattack.
—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 June 2026
Belgium dominated possession in the first 60 minutes, but Iran still had a strong counterattack that was repeatedly thwarted by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who matched Beiranvand's results, if not his theatricality.
—
ABC News,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
The rest of the match saw the West German team fend off relentless Hungarian attacks before Rahn scored his second goal in a shocking German counterattack with only six minutes left on the clock, pulling off a miracle comeback victory.
—
Tushaar Kuthiala,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 June 2026
Such tactics are designed to improve strike effectiveness against targets while also increasing survivability by complicating an adversary’s ability to neutralize launch units during a counterattack.
—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 June 2026
Belgium dominated possession in the first 60 minutes, but Iran still had a strong counterattack that was repeatedly thwarted by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who matched Beiranvand's results, if not his theatricality.
—
ABC News,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterattack
Noun
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The British Army also provided protection from attacks by Native American tribes, giving many settlers little reason to support a rebellion.
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Twice in recent days, the United States has launched retaliatory strikes on Iran following drone attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Noun
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Recent reports from Ukraine indicate that Russian forces are losing ground to the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive.
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Hitler had declared the city practically taken; the press never reported the Soviet counteroffensive that surrounded it.
Noun
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Indeed, the administration’s assault on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act intensifies the damage.
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Williams had an extraditable warrant out of Suffolk County, New York, on multiple charges including burglary, strangulation and assault.
Cite this Entry
“Counterattack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterattack. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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