counterweight

American  

[koun-ter-weyt] / ˈkaʊn tərˌweɪt /

noun

1. a weight used as a counterbalance.

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verb (used with object)

1. to balance or equip with a counterweight.

counterweight British  

/ ˈkaʊntəˌweɪt /

noun

1. a counterbalancing weight, influence, or force

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Other Word Forms

• counterweighted adjective

Etymology

Origin of counterweight

First recorded in 1685–95; counter- + weight

Example Sentences

At the Blue Note, Jean performs a kind of Haitian exceptionalism: a sensorially rich, festal theater that serves as a necessary counterweight to the country’s grim realities of poverty and political neglect.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

In that context, his willingness to speak plainly without resorting to spectacle underscores his enduring role as a moral counterweight in an increasingly volatile political landscape.

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2026

When asked about Germany's support for Israel at a press conference on Thursday, Wenders said: "We cannot really enter the field of politics", describing filmmakers as "the counterweight to politics".

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

One overlooked area to consider is midcap stocks — those of medium-size companies that can get overlooked as investors consider small-cap companies as a counterweight to familiar large caps.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 28, 2026

But this was the counterweight, the act of binding and holding.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Related Words

• equilibrium