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
The legal counterattack by Exxon also evoked a lawsuit that Energy Transfer, a pipeline company.
—Karen Zraick, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
The Syrian Army now, along with Russia, is likely preparing for a counterattack, in particular in Hama and other places.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024
The ratio tilted even more in October and November after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to eliminate the Ukrainian salient—and the Russian counterattacks quickened.
—David Axe, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
The two fighting armed forces have been engaged in counterattacks since, and Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade attacked a Russian marine platoon on October 18, killed 30 Russians, and destroyed armored vehicles, Ukraine said.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for counterattack 
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Karen Zraick, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
The Syrian Army now, along with Russia, is likely preparing for a counterattack, in particular in Hama and other places.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024
The ratio tilted even more in October and November after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to eliminate the Ukrainian salient—and the Russian counterattacks quickened.
—David Axe, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
The two fighting armed forces have been engaged in counterattacks since, and Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade attacked a Russian marine platoon on October 18, killed 30 Russians, and destroyed armored vehicles, Ukraine said.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 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 24 Jan. 2025.
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