as in offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
a hearty dinner might counterbalance missing lunch
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of counterbalanced
But that is counterbalanced by some sweeter notes of ripe and dried stone and tropical fruit, along with a bit of vanilla and a hint of maple.
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Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2025
China is cast not as an enemy but as a strategic rival whose economic power must be counterbalanced through tariffs, reindustrialization and alliances.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Dec. 2025
That was counterbalanced by a crew of youngsters who fit the Right to Dream philosophy of bloodying them early and often.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2025
Obsessed anglers who lived in Key West, and whose fiction sometimes gravitates toward horses, blood sports, and male protagonists with a masculine swagger counterbalanced by a certain reflective, existentialist temperament—the similarities between the two are obvious, yet go only so far.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
While Simmons and Frehley were known for their complex and often fraught relationship, Frehley’s unpredictable nature and distinctive laugh counterbalanced Simmons more somber, business-minded demeanor.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
The problem of unchecked power is not nearly counterbalanced by any number of indulgences the wielder of that power deigns to bestow.
—Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
Although proximity makes for easier studies, this is counterbalanced against the system’s vexing complexity.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterbalanced
Verb
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Monday evening, city leaders approved a $940,000 subsidy to offset the development fees that would otherwise need to be paid by the developer of the project, which would be the home to a new indoor professional soccer league.—
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Its bright pink floral pattern is offset with crisp white that looks fresh and breezy, and the rayon and nylon material is breathable enough for wear in the spring or summer.—
Verb
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Separately, the Russian Defense Ministry said 59 Ukrainian drones were neutralized overnight over Russia and occupied Crimea.—
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Plus, forwards Bailey Barnhard, Kennedy Lee and Maria Konstantinidou neutralized Boise State’s taller front line.—
Verb
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Powell corrected Trump in front of reporters about the cost of the project, with the tension between the two men palpable.—
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The full inspections show how each establishment has corrected or is working to correct any remaining violations.—
Cite this Entry
“Counterbalanced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterbalanced. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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