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
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
Despite a formal statement by Ukrainian command that the withdrawal was a strategic retreat, first-hand accounts from soldiers collected by the BBC describe panic and confusion when Russian forces, supported by North Korean troops, launched a fierce counterattack earlier this month.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
But when a counterattack opportunity itself three minutes into stoppage team, SDFC — which really does need some sort of nickname — aced one more test.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025
Russian assaults in this area, if successful, could spoil the counterattacks.
—David Axe, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Quinn Hughes turned the puck over at one point, and Seattle was off to the races on a two-on-one counterattack.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
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Katya Soldak, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
But when a counterattack opportunity itself three minutes into stoppage team, SDFC — which really does need some sort of nickname — aced one more test.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025
Russian assaults in this area, if successful, could spoil the counterattacks.
—David Axe, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Quinn Hughes turned the puck over at one point, and Seattle was off to the races on a two-on-one counterattack.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for counterattack
Cite this Entry
“Counterattack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterattack. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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