English Meaning & Definitions
A weight or influence that balances another, opposing weight or influence to create equilibrium.
- “The heavy stone served as a counterbalance for the drawbridge mechanism.”
- “Strict regulatory laws act as a necessary counterbalance to corporate power.”
To exert a force or influence that offsets, neutralizes, or compensates for an opposing force or influence.
- “The benefits of the new policy counterbalance its potential risks.”
- “She tried to counterbalance her sedentary job with intense evening workouts.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “counterbalance”.
Derived from the Latin prefix 'contra-' (against) combined with 'balance' (from Late Latin 'bilanx', meaning having two scale pans). The term entered Middle English via Old French in the late 14th century, initially referring to a weight that balances another.
Imagine a 'counter' (a weight used to weigh things) placed on the opposite 'balance' scale to offset something heavy.
Frequently Asked Questions About “counterbalance”
1. What is the meaning of “counterbalance” in English?
In English, counterbalance (noun) is defined as: “A weight or influence that balances another, opposing weight or influence to create equilibrium.”.
2. How do you use “counterbalance” in a sentence?
“The heavy stone served as a counterbalance for the drawbridge mechanism.”
3. What are English synonyms of “counterbalance”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “counterbalance”?
Derived from the Latin prefix 'contra-' (against) combined with 'balance' (from Late Latin 'bilanx', meaning having two scale pans). The term entered Middle English via Old French in the late 14th century, initially referring to a weight that balances another.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.