Meaning & use
counter-strategy
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A plan made to oppose or defeat another plan or action.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a counter-strategy' for one, 'counter-strategies' for more than one.
Patterns
- a counter-strategy to something
- a counter-strategy against someone
- develop a counter-strategy
The company developed a counter-strategy to deal with its rival's sudden price cuts.
The general outlined a counter-strategy against the enemy's new tactics.
Their counter-strategy was to focus on quality rather than price.
nouncountablesport
In games or sports, a way of playing that is designed to beat a particular opponent's usual style.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'find', 'need', or 'use'.
Patterns
- find a counter-strategy
- need a counter-strategy
- use a counter-strategy
The coach found a counter-strategy to stop the other team's star player.
They needed a counter-strategy for the opponent's aggressive opening.
Her counter-strategy was to slow the game down and wait for mistakes.
Word forms
| plural | counter-strategies |
|---|
Common combinations
- develop a counter-strategy
- The team developed a counter-strategy to handle the new regulations.
- a counter-strategy against something
- They needed a counter-strategy against the competitor's aggressive marketing.
- a counter-strategy to something
- The government announced a counter-strategy to the rise in online fraud.
- effective counter-strategy
- An effective counter-strategy must be flexible and quick to change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- countermeasure
- A countermeasure is a specific action taken to prevent or deal with a problem, while a counter-strategy is a broader plan.
- counterplan
- A counterplan is a plan made to oppose another plan; it is less common and often used in formal or military contexts.
Word family
Commonly confused: counter-strategy or counterstrategy?
counter-strategy vs counterstrategy
Some writers spell it as one word 'counterstrategy'; all three forms (counter-strategy, counter strategy, counterstrategy) are used, but the hyphenated and two-word forms are more common.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'counter-strategy' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A counter-strategy is a plan to oppose another plan, so option 1 fits. Option 2 treats it as clothing. Option 3 treats it as food. Option 4 uses it as a verb, but 'counter-strategy' is a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “counter-strategy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.