counterweight

[ koun-ter-weyt ]

noun

1. a weight used as a counterbalance.

verb (used with object)

1. to balance or equip with a counterweight.

counterweight

/ ˈkaʊntəˌweɪt /

noun

1. a counterbalancing weight, influence, or force

Derived Forms

• ˈcounterˌweighted, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of counterweight¹

First recorded in 1685–95; counter- + weight

Example Sentences

For one, the United States, like much of the global community, sees India as an important counterweight to China.

From Time

As they entered the arena to provide a counterweight to the GOP observers inside, Reyes took down their cell-phone numbers and added them to a massive text chain.

From Time

The love of their people is an essential counterweight to generally unwelcoming messages from many parts of society — especially given the anxiety and depression and other co-morbidities that non-neurotypical kids deal with.

From Washington Post

“The West must urgently unite to advance a counterweight to China’s tech dominance,” said committee chair Tobias Ellwood, a Conservative parliamentarian, on the report’s release.

From Fortune

The rising influence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a counterweight to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

From Ozy

There is the fact that in many of these states Democratic legislatures are entrenched, and voters are looking for a counterweight.

From The Daily Beast

Historically, the former Soviet Union has been a counterweight to the United States.

From The Daily Beast

The CPR was supposed to be the progressive counterweight among the troika of parties that governed Tunisia before Sheratongate.

From The Daily Beast

This would leave the Afghan Taliban intact as a counterweight to Indian influence in Afghanistan.

From The Daily Beast

We at The Daily Beast seek to provide a counterweight to all this sanctimony.

From The Daily Beast

The counterweight may be tied up, thereby opening the damper.

From Project Gutenberg

The counterweight may hence be lessened at pleasure, if the height of the pressing water-column n be increased.

From Project Gutenberg

Without this counterweight, how false would be our final summation of the evidence upon most of the great state trials!

From Project Gutenberg

But Ballantrae was afraid of a more efficient captain, who might be a counterweight to himself, and he opposed this stoutly.

From Project Gutenberg

The operation of any of these governors is usually controlled by the tension of a spring, or by a counterweight.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• equilibrium