variants
or counter-attacks
as in attacks
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 counterattacks
The Mexican team had no interest in trying to match SDFC’s ball-control game, nor did its counterattacks pose many challenges.
—
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Tight baseline battles, pressure from Shelton and counterattacks from Ruud, using the violent topspin of those big looping forehands.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
For the period, Newport Harbor tallied two goals on penalty shots, two off counterattacks, one with the extra attacker and another on a perimeter shot.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 25 Jan. 2026
Syrskyi said Ukraine is conducting a strategic defensive operation designed to contain Russian advances, inflict heavy losses, and launch counterattacks where vulnerabilities appear.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Arkansas had done well to prevent Washington from breaking out on counterattacks throughout the match.
—Anthony Kristensen, Arkansas Online, 21 Nov. 2025
The French emperor was forced to retreat amid the harsh Russian winter, dwindling supplies and fierce counterattacks.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025
Ukrainians outnumbered, under fire Ukraine in recent days has launched counterattacks to push Russian forces back from the northern edge of Pokrovsk and keep a road there open to Myrnohrad.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2025
For its part, the Ukrainian military has claimed to have recovered some 70 square miles of territory in the Pokrovsk area over the past two months, in a series of counterattacks.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Tight baseline battles, pressure from Shelton and counterattacks from Ruud, using the violent topspin of those big looping forehands.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
For the period, Newport Harbor tallied two goals on penalty shots, two off counterattacks, one with the extra attacker and another on a perimeter shot.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 25 Jan. 2026
Syrskyi said Ukraine is conducting a strategic defensive operation designed to contain Russian advances, inflict heavy losses, and launch counterattacks where vulnerabilities appear.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Arkansas had done well to prevent Washington from breaking out on counterattacks throughout the match.
—Anthony Kristensen, Arkansas Online, 21 Nov. 2025
The French emperor was forced to retreat amid the harsh Russian winter, dwindling supplies and fierce counterattacks.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025
Ukrainians outnumbered, under fire Ukraine in recent days has launched counterattacks to push Russian forces back from the northern edge of Pokrovsk and keep a road there open to Myrnohrad.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2025
For its part, the Ukrainian military has claimed to have recovered some 70 square miles of territory in the Pokrovsk area over the past two months, in a series of counterattacks.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterattacks
Noun
-
Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The administration’s attacks on Lemon and independent journalists have boosted their online attention and revenue.—
Drew Harwell,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Shyriaiev is holed up in Sumy, a strategically important oblast that borders Russia, and has been the centerpiece of Ukrainian counteroffensives this fall.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
17 Nov. 2025
-
Then, Ukraine reclaimed significant ground in Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts during counteroffensives.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Instead, Jackson blamed anti-ICE rhetoric for a sharp increase in assaults on immigration officers, a claim frequently cited by the administration, despite previous reporting showing such a rise is not backed by public records.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
7 Feb. 2026
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Russian forces have consequently lost command-and-control capabilities and navigation for drones, and assaults have stopped in many sectors, according to Fedorov's adviser Serhii Beskrestnov.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Wednesday’s ballistic missile launches by North Korea were the first of their kind since the country on May 8 tested short-range systems that simulated nuclear counterstrikes against US and South Korean forces.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Counterattacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterattacks. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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