counterassault

noun

coun·​ter·​as·​sault ˌkau̇n-tər-ə-ˈsȯlt How to pronounce counterassault (audio)
variants or less commonly counter-assault
plural counterassaults also counter-assaults
: an assault undertaken in response to or in defense against an assault made by another
launching counterassaults against the enemy
… Army Rangers mounted a counter-assault, killing the terrorists and rescuing more than 900 kids and teachers.Dale Neal

Examples of counterassault in a Sentence

a feeble counterassault that proved to be entirely futile
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Israeli counterassault over the last few days has killed at least 31 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip including seven children and four women, according to the U.N. humanitarian office. Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 12 May 2023 The 77-minute siege ended with a counterassault led by a SWAT team from the US Border Patrol. ABC News, 13 Feb. 2023 Another risk is that Russia’s invasion and the West’s financial counterassault could prove more economically disruptive than the pandemic. Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Saturday’s assault included a volley of rockets that Ukrainian officials said damaged 47 apartment buildings and houses, adding that Ukraine cannot answer the attacks for fear that a counterassault would set off a radiation disaster. Vivian Yee, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterassault was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near counterassault

Cite this Entry

“Counterassault.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterassault. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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