coun·ter·bal·ance
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌba-lən(t)s 
ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈba-
1
: a weight that balances another
2
: a force or influence that offsets or checks an opposing force
coun·ter·bal·ance
ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈba-lən(t)s
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌba-
counterbalanced; counterbalancing; counterbalances
1
: to oppose or balance with an equal weight or force
2
: to equip with counterbalances
Examples of counterbalance in a Sentence
Noun
charitable giving is usually a good counterbalance to the self-indulgent commercialism of the Christmas season
Verb
The author's wry humor counterbalances the book's serious subject matter.
a hearty dinner might counterbalance missing lunch
Recent Examples on the Web
Nila Do Simon, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
Delhi seeks to engage whoever is in power in Afghanistan as a counterbalance to Pakistan.
—Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2025
In response, our governor is asking us to counterbalance this attempt to rig the midterm elections in 2026.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterbalance
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Topped with a fluffy meringue that’s as high as a skyscraper, the filling’s sharp tartness is a nice counterbalance to the rich, carb-heavy foods typically found on the holiday table.
—Nila Do Simon, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
Delhi seeks to engage whoever is in power in Afghanistan as a counterbalance to Pakistan.
—Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
But unlike White, Leon thinks traditional finance institutions’ entrance into the cryptocurrency market could help counterbalance the effects of crypto-native players using massive amounts of leverage.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2025
In response, our governor is asking us to counterbalance this attempt to rig the midterm elections in 2026.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterbalance
Cite this Entry
“Counterbalance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterbalance. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
counterbalance
1 of 2 noun
coun·ter·bal·ance
ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌbal-ən(t)s
ˌkau̇nt-ər-ˈbal-
1
: a weight that balances another
2
: a force or influence that checks an opposing force
counterbalance
2 of 2 verb
: to oppose or balance with an equal weight or force
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share