1
as in equilibrium
a condition in which opposing forces are equal to one another
a musical piece with a counterpoise of loud and soft passages
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective
the happiness brought by a new baby was a timely counterpoise to the grief occasioned by a death in the family
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
her overall healthiness largely counterpoised the virulence of the infection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of counterpoise
David Frum, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Molina, the embodiment of theatrical excellence, is perfectly cast as the rational counterpoise to Brady’s zealotry.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023
What’s most remarkable about Torruella’s film is its counterpoise between the sense of raging injustice and the island’s mystic stillness.
—Amada Torruella, The New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2023
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
Conflicts of interest are objective situations that arise when a person’s financial interests can be counterpoised to their public responsibilities.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 29 Nov. 2018
Noun
That’s more than just a defeat; that is institutional counterpoise against the attempt by the president to corrupt institutions.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Molina, the embodiment of theatrical excellence, is perfectly cast as the rational counterpoise to Brady’s zealotry.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023
What’s most remarkable about Torruella’s film is its counterpoise between the sense of raging injustice and the island’s mystic stillness.
—Amada Torruella, The New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2023
Verb
Indeed, the Western, that peculiarly American contribution to the world’s store of epic and saga, often depends on the tale of a defeated Confederate at large to enforce virtue, someone whose heroic individualism is counterpoised with the superficial discipline of the federal troops.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
Conflicts of interest are objective situations that arise when a person’s financial interests can be counterpoised to their public responsibilities.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 29 Nov. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterpoise
Noun
-
Remarkably cool September nights kept sugar levels balanced while maintaining freshness and acidity, allowing for a notable sense of equilibrium in the glass.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
-
To create it, nature required the specific, violent far-from-equilibrium conditions of July 16, 1945.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Each layer bonding process and printing offset were controlled for up to ±2 mm.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
-
From there, an attacker can control the file offset and the 4-byte value of each store.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Board president Kevin Smith said the poll workers took the correct actions with the adamant voter and Thursday’s board vote corrected his attempt to vote a second time.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
That was the focus of a Supreme Court case that ultimately determined the prosecution's failure to correct Sneed's testimony violated Glossip's constitutional right to due process, granting him a new trial with an order issued in February 2025.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The 30-seat Soho counter restaurant makes each roll to order, placing them directly into your palm to be eaten on the spot.—
Rachel Dube,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
As words have incantatory power to shift elements of fate, as well as matters of the heart, this project calls forward questions around an alleged family curse from Nagasaki and the writing process as its own counter-spell.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Imai hasn’t commanded his arsenal against anyone, but his inability to neutralize lefties has been of particular concern to team officials.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Using white blood cells from humans infected with hantavirus, the researchers identified antibodies—proteins in the immune system that can identify and neutralize pathogens—that may be able to combat different strains of the virus.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
This chic square-neck tank top strikes the perfect balance of function and style.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
-
The tension young workers face with AI adoption Striking that balance is important not just for career development but for cognitive ability.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Built by the Mosler Safe Company in Ohio, the vault’s doors opened upward, activated by two massive counterweights that swung down at the press of a button.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
-
As Mamdani works out his approach to criminal justice, his appointment of Richards suggests a desire for a political counterweight to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a tough-on-crime scion of the establishment.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Paint can also be a powerful corrective.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Mar. 2026
-
These are all refreshing correctives to the texts that previously stood in for contemporary Japan internationally, including any number of small volumes about magical cafés, bookshops, or libraries, often with cats on their covers.—
Sarah Chihaya,
New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Counterpoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterpoise. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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