counterbalance

noun
UK: /ˌkaʊntəˈbæləns/
US: /ˌkaʊntərˈbæləns/

  1. A weight or force that offsets another.

    1. The statue uses a small weight as a counterbalance.
    2. His calm demeanor acted as a counterbalance to her fiery temper during the debate.

Synonyms

offset balance neutralize equalize
counterbalance verb

  1. To offset or balance the effect of something with something else.

    1. We need to counterbalance the bad news.
    2. The company introduced new policies to counterbalance the negative effects of the merger.

  2. To have an equal and opposite effect.

    1. The economy is starting to counterbalance.
    2. Increased investment should counterbalance the decline in consumer spending this quarter.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "counterbalance" is /ˌkaʊntəˈbæləns/ in British English and /ˌkaʊntərˈbæləns/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "counterbalance": offset, balance, neutralize, equalize.

Example usage of "counterbalance": "The statue uses a small weight as a counterbalance.". More examples on the page.