counteract

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈkaʊntɜrˌækt/

📖 Definitions

  1. verb
    To act against something in order to reduce its force, effect, or influence; to neutralize or offset.; To hinder or oppose the action or effect of something.

🔗 Details

Word forms

3rd sing.: counteracts Past: counteracted Past part.: counteracted Pres part.: counteracting

Collocations

counteract the effectscounteract the influencecounteract the negative impactcounteract the forcecounteract the damage

Derivatives

counteractioncounteractivecounteractively

Synonyms

neutralizeoffsetcounterbalancenullifynegateundermine

Antonyms

promoteenhancereinforce

Commonly confused

counterbalance
EN: 'Counterbalance' emphasizes equalizing opposing forces or weights; 'counteract' emphasizes actively working against or neutralizing an effect.
counter
EN: 'Counter' is more general and can function as a noun, adjective, or verb; 'counteract' is specifically a verb meaning to act against something.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember that 'counteract' is written as one word, not two ('counter act').

💬 Examples

  1. The government introduced new policies to counteract the effects of inflation.

  2. This medication is designed to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy.