counteract

verb
coun·​ter·​act | \ ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈakt How to pronounce counteract (audio) \
counteracted; counteracting; counteracts

Definition of counteract

transitive verb

: to make ineffective or restrain or neutralize the usually ill effects of by means of an opposite force, action, or influence a drug used to counteract fatigue

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Other Words from counteract

counteraction \ ˌkau̇n-​tər-​ˈak-​shən How to pronounce counteraction (audio) \ noun
counteractive \ ˌkau̇n-​tər-​ˈak-​tiv How to pronounce counteractive (audio) \ adjective

Examples of counteract in a Sentence

The drug will counteract the poison. this medication will counteract the symptoms but it won't kill the infection

Recent Examples on the Web

Cunningham, who lives in Pasadena with his wife, Wendy, acts as a tireless booster for his adopted home, posting sparkling shots of downtown Baltimore on social media to counteract more derisive depictions of the city. Childs Walker, baltimoresun.com, "‘I realized I was done’: Bruce Cunningham steps down after 20 years as Ravens public-address announcer," 20 Aug. 2019 Launching several detectors would mitigate this problem, but Kipping notes that doing so might also counteract the cost savings that make the idea so appealing. Leila Sloman, Scientific American, "Earth Could Be a Lens for a Revolutionary Space Telescope," 14 Aug. 2019 To counteract the slumping global economy, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has hinted that rate cuts are coming at the conclusion of the Fed's two-day policy-setting meeting Wednesday. David Goldman, CNN, "Wait, so, why is the Fed cutting rates, exactly?," 30 July 2019 In Paris, older cars are banned from the city to counteract the fact a heat wave aggravates the city’s pollution. Stephen Leahy, National Geographic, "Europe has had five 500-year summers in 15 years. And now this," 28 June 2019 The most recent of Castro’s detailed policy papers aim tens of billions of dollars toward counteracting a housing affordability crisis while also tackling segregation issues that have festered for decades. Bill Lambrecht, ExpressNews.com, "Texan Julián Castro needs a spark tonight in first Democratic debate," 26 June 2019 Tomato sauce contains naturally occurring sugars from tomatoes, along with, often, additional white sugar to counteract the natural acidity of the tomatoes. Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "Can Our Bodies Even Tell the Difference Between Naturally Occurring and Added Sugars?," 24 June 2019 To counteract possible regression in the passing game, the Seahawks used a second-round pick on D.K. Metcalf. Michael Beller, SI.com, "Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson Lead 2019 Regression Candidates," 20 June 2019 To counteract this, most of these companies are partnering with new manufacturers to design custom scooters that are better suited for constant riding. Sean O'kane, The Verge, "Uber’s new shared scooter is bigger, tougher, and stops faster," 12 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'counteract.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of counteract

1655, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for counteract

counteract

verb

English Language Learners Definition of counteract

: act against (something) : to cause (something) to have less of an effect or to have no effect at all

counteract

verb
coun·​ter·​act | \ ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈakt How to pronounce counteract (audio) \
counteracted; counteracting

Kids Definition of counteract

: to make (something) have less of an effect or no effect at all The antidote counteracts the poison.

counteract

transitive verb
coun·​ter·​act | \ ˌkau̇nt-ə-ˈrakt How to pronounce counteract (audio) \

Medical Definition of counteract

: to make ineffective or restrain or neutralize the usually ill effects of by an opposite force vitamin K counteracts the effects of warfarin

Other Words from counteract

counteraction \ -​ˈrak-​shən How to pronounce counteraction (audio) \ noun

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