counterweight

noun

coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)
: an equivalent weight or force : counterbalance
counterweight transitive verb

Examples of counterweight in a Sentence

The crane has a heavy counterweight on the back. hard work can often be a counterweight to modest intelligence
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.
While the courts remain a crucial counterweight, they are not designed to handle every instance of executive overreach. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025 The final layer is a steel counterweight that gives the K3 a little more heft and separates it from the keyboard’s 1,550mAh rechargeable battery. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 That implies that just as federalism guards against the tyranny made possible through overt centralization, federalism also has counterweights to prevent individual state governments from wrecking the whole. Jenna Bednar, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024 In 1846, scientists had observed irregularities in Uranus’ orbit, as if an invisible counterweight were tugging on the planet from the far side. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for counterweight

Word History

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterweight was in 1693

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Cite this Entry

“Counterweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterweight. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

counterweight

noun
coun·​ter·​weight ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌwāt How to pronounce counterweight (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on counterweight

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