as in lawsuits
a court case brought against the plaintiff of another court case by the defendant
The defendant filed a counterclaim for his own injuries, claiming that he only rear-ended the plaintiff because she had stopped too fast.
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Recent Examples of counterclaims
But his previously unreported warning was the first of a torrent of claims and counterclaims shared by conservative commentators after Kirk’s death.
—
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Nelson has since filed copyright counterclaims of her own, alleging a third party connected to Taylor posted her images without permission.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
Worse, Paramount’s fraud and copyright infringement counterclaims—alleging Gray deliberately hid his participation (which Gray denies)—were greenlit for trial.
—Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
In his counterclaims against Stalcup, the former analyst accused of stealing and doctoring documents alleges the 2023 capital calls used misleading statements to get people to pitch in.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026
Steven Cooper, the lead lawyer for PleasrDAO, blasted Shkreli’s counterclaims.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2026
The management firm later filed counterclaims against CAA over its use of noncompetes.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
Claims and counterclaims and various legal motions piled up on both coasts, but the core dispute remained, more or less, constant.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
Young filed counterclaims against Aetna, claiming the insurer ‘cynically and unscientifically’ denied payments, which may have resulted in people’s deaths.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 6 Nov. 2025
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Nelson has since filed copyright counterclaims of her own, alleging a third party connected to Taylor posted her images without permission.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
Worse, Paramount’s fraud and copyright infringement counterclaims—alleging Gray deliberately hid his participation (which Gray denies)—were greenlit for trial.
—Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
In his counterclaims against Stalcup, the former analyst accused of stealing and doctoring documents alleges the 2023 capital calls used misleading statements to get people to pitch in.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026
Steven Cooper, the lead lawyer for PleasrDAO, blasted Shkreli’s counterclaims.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2026
The management firm later filed counterclaims against CAA over its use of noncompetes.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 9 Jan. 2026
Claims and counterclaims and various legal motions piled up on both coasts, but the core dispute remained, more or less, constant.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
Young filed counterclaims against Aetna, claiming the insurer ‘cynically and unscientifically’ denied payments, which may have resulted in people’s deaths.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterclaims
Noun
-
As it’s applied today, the law allows trial attorneys to prey on the state’s small and mid-sized businesses — filing frivolous, costly lawsuits over even the most minor violation of California’s complex labor code.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
-
OpenAI is now facing seven wrongful-death lawsuits, which allege that ChatGPT prompted several suicides and a murder.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Despite numerous complaints to health inspectors from elderly people that Salmos 23 left them wanting the most basic necessities — like toilet paper — DCF chose it as a refuge over hundreds of other homes.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Deed theft is essentially when someone steals a house, often forging the paperwork, and data obtained by CBS News New York shows a 240% increase in complaints to the New York Attorney General's Office from 2023 to 2025.—
Tim McNicholas,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Counterclaims.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterclaims. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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