Definition
To counteract is to push back against a force so its effect shrinks or vanishes — from counter-, 'against', and act. Antacids counteract acidity; a stabilizer counteracts a wobble; good policy can counteract a downturn. The word implies a deliberate, opposing action aimed squarely at an effect, ideally meeting it head-on until the two reach equilibrium. Where to exacerbate makes a thing worse, to counteract works to neutralize it, the way one wave can flatten another.
Examples
- The drug is given to counteract the side effects of the treatment.
- Planting trees can partly counteract the carbon a city produces.
- She leaned into the turn to counteract the bike's drift.
Collocations
counteract the effect·counteract a trend·help counteract·counteract the damage
Synonyms
offset·neutralize·counterbalance·negate·mitigate
Antonyms
reinforce·exacerbate·amplify
Word family
counteraction (noun)·counteractive (adjective)
In TOEFL & IELTS
Useful across TOEFL science and IELTS problem-solution writing — 'measures to counteract climate change/inflation/bias'. It pairs with effects and forces as its object. Distinguish it from 'counter' (to respond or oppose generally) and from 'mitigate' (to soften, not necessarily cancel): to counteract aims to neutralize the effect outright.