counterbalance — a weight or force that balances or offsets another
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a weight or force that balances or offsets another
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkaʊntərˌbæləns/
Example Sentences
- His love for pizza needed a counterbalance, so he married a fitness trainer.
- The company's aggressive expansion was counterbalanced by conservative financial planning.
- Social media's negative effects need to be counterbalanced with real-world interactions.
counterbalance
NOUN[/ˈkaʊntərˌbæləns/]
a weight or force that balances or offsets another

A strong push is counterbalanced — an equal force stops the movement.

Perfect balance despite the dancing valance - true counterbalance!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Middle French 'contrebalance', combining the prefix 'contre-' (against) with 'balance' (from Latin 'bilancia', meaning a scale with two pans). The term emerged in the 16th century to describe the act of weighing against or offsetting an opposing force.
Breakdown
counter- (against) + balance (equilibrium/scale) = counterbalance
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His love for pizza needed a counterbalance, so he married a fitness trainer.”
“The company's aggressive expansion was counterbalanced by conservative financial planning.”
“Social media's negative effects need to be counterbalanced with real-world interactions.”
“Her pessimistic nature was perfectly counterbalanced by her optimistic partner.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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