Meaning & use

counteract

verb·Academic

To reduce or cancel out the effect of something by acting in an opposite way.

See it in a sentence

Regular exercise can help counteract the negative effects of a sedentary job.

The medication was designed to counteract the side effects of the chemotherapy.

A note on using this word

Counteract implies an active response working directly against a specific force or effect, not merely a passive difference.

Words with a similar meaning

offsetneutralizecounterbalance

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

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