counterbalance C2+ Topic:Mathematics & Measurement Also spelled counter-balance US /ˈkaʊntɚˌbæləns/ UK /ˈkaʊntəbæləns/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 verb to offset by an opposing weight or force Tax cuts were meant to counterbalance rising prices. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to offset by an opposing... offsetcounterpoisecounterweightcompensateequalizeneutralize ↔ Opposites unbalanceupsetdestabilize Word family Forms counterpoise Related forms counterbalancecounterweightcounterpoise Etymology AI details From 'counter-' ('against, opposite') plus 'balance'. 'Balance' is from Latin 'bilanx' ('having two scale-pans'), from 'bi-' ('two') plus 'lanx' ('scale, dish'). contra Latin bilanx Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Mathematics & Measurement External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # counterbalance **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ˈkaʊntɚˌbæləns/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈkaʊntəbæləns/ ## Meanings 1. to offset by an opposing weight or force ## Examples - Tax cuts were meant to counterbalance rising prices. ## Synonyms - offset - counterpoise - counterweight - compensate - equalize - neutralize ## Antonyms - unbalance - upset - destabilize ## Related Forms - counter - balance - counterweight - counterpoise ## Roots and Affixes - Root: contra - Root: bilanx ## Etymology From 'counter-' ('against, opposite') plus 'balance'. 'Balance' is from Latin 'bilanx' ('having two scale-pans'), from 'bi-' ('two') plus 'lanx' ('scale, dish'). ## AI Etymology Counterbalance is from 'counter-' ('against, opposite') plus 'balance'. 'Balance' is from Latin 'bilanx' ('having two scale-pans'), from 'bi-' ('two') plus 'lanx' ('scale, dish'). Important recorded forms include contra (Latin) and bilanx (Latin). The current sense covers to offset by an opposing weight or force. The wider family includes related words such as counter, balance, counterweight, and counterpoise. ## Topics - Mathematics & Measurement markdown