counterattack
noun
coun·ter·at·tack
ˈkau̇n-tər-ə-ˌtak 
variants
or counter-attack
plural counterattacks or counter-attacks
: an attack made in response to or in defense against an attack made by another
a series of attacks and counterattacks
Iraqi forces are advancing into the city of Fallujah, repelling a counter-attack by the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) on Tuesday …—
Jack Moore
Jack Moore
counterattack
verb, transitive + intransitive
or counter-attack
counterattacked or counter-attacked; counterattacking or counter-attacking
Syrian rebels including jihadists counter-attacked the army and its allies on Friday aiming to break a weeks-long siege on eastern Aleppo, insurgents said.
—Ellen Francis and Angus McDowall
Ellen Francis and Angus McDowall
counterattacker
noun
or counter-attacker
plural counterattackers or counter-attackers
Finally, the big man, bleeding profusely, succeeded in throwing his counterattacker off him.
—Andrew M. Greeley
Andrew M. Greeley
Synonyms
Examples of counterattack in a Sentence
suddenly the tide of battle turned, and the rebels, who had been falling back, made a furious counterattack
Recent Examples on the Web
Videos compiled by the Ukrainian 101st Guard Brigade in early October seem to depict the initial phase of the counterattack.
—David Axe, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
Then, on September 17, the Israeli military began to mount a series of increasingly daring counterattacks against its most formidable neighboring adversary, the Lebanese militia Hezbollah—which opened a second front in the north a day after Hamas attacked in the south.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 4 Oct. 2024
In the best case for Ukraine, a fresh cross-border attack might divert Russian troops from their counterattacks farther to the east.
—David Axe, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
Russia appears to have launched its first major counterattack to drive Ukrainian forces out of Russia's Kursk region more than a month after Ukraine began its surprise offensive, according to Russian and Ukrainian sources as well as independent military analysts.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2024
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David Axe, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
Then, on September 17, the Israeli military began to mount a series of increasingly daring counterattacks against its most formidable neighboring adversary, the Lebanese militia Hezbollah—which opened a second front in the north a day after Hamas attacked in the south.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 4 Oct. 2024
In the best case for Ukraine, a fresh cross-border attack might divert Russian troops from their counterattacks farther to the east.
—David Axe, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
Russia appears to have launched its first major counterattack to drive Ukrainian forces out of Russia's Kursk region more than a month after Ukraine began its surprise offensive, according to Russian and Ukrainian sources as well as independent military analysts.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counterattack
Dictionary Entries Near counterattack
Cite this Entry
“Counterattack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterattack. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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