Meaning & use
counterparts
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“counterparts” is a form of “counterpart”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounplural
People or things that hold an equivalent position or serve the same function in a different place or group.
Grammar: Often followed by in or at: counterparts in France.
Patterns
- counterparts in somewhere
- someone's counterparts abroad
The minister met her counterparts from three neighboring countries.
Our branch shares data with its counterparts in Asia.
Female athletes asked for pay equal to their male counterparts.
Word forms
| singular | counterpart |
|---|
Common combinations
- foreign counterparts
- The delegation met its foreign counterparts.
- male counterparts
- Women earned less than their male counterparts.
- meet with counterparts
- Leaders meet with counterparts at the summit.
- compare with counterparts
- The school compared results with counterparts nearby.
Synonyms and how they differ
- equivalents
- It is more general and can describe objects, whereas counterparts often implies people in matching roles.
- opposite numbers
- It is a British idiom for people in the same job in another organization.
- peers
- It means equals in status or age, not necessarily in the same role elsewhere.
Word family
- counterpart noun
- the single equivalent person or thing
- counter adjective
- opposite or opposing
- part noun
- a piece or role
- counterbalance noun
- a force that offsets another
Commonly confused: counterparts or competitors?
counterparts vs competitors
Competitors compete against you, whereas counterparts have a matching role and may be partners.
Practice
The mayor met her ___ from nearby cities to discuss transit.
Choose one answer.
Counterparts are people in equivalent roles elsewhere. Competitors would suggest rivalry, which the sentence does not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “counterparts”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.