counteroffensive

noun

coun·​ter·​of·​fen·​sive ˈkau̇n-tər-ə-ˌfen(t)-siv How to pronounce counteroffensive (audio)
: a large-scale military offensive undertaken by a force previously on the defensive

Examples of counteroffensive in a Sentence

They mounted a counteroffensive against the enemy. the army launched a counteroffensive at dawn
Recent Examples on the Web In response, Israel mounted a crushing counteroffensive, killing more than 41,000 Palestinians over the last year in brutal air and ground attacks that have left Gaza in ruins. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2024 In the lead-up to Ukraine’s southern counteroffensive, which kicked off in June 2023, Ukrainian brigades equipped and trained for one of the most difficult maneuvers in land warfare: a breach. David Axe, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 However, the war has reached a new stage as Zelensky confirmed on Saturday that Ukrainian forces moved into Russia as part of a surprise counteroffensive. Conrad Hoyt, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Aug. 2024 Advertisement Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war — triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis and an Israeli counteroffensive that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians — Barghouti has been lobbying Americans to intervene. Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for counteroffensive 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'counteroffensive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counteroffensive was in 1909

Dictionary Entries Near counteroffensive

Cite this Entry

“Counteroffensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counteroffensive. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

counteroffensive

noun
coun·​ter·​of·​fen·​sive ˈkau̇nt-ə-rə-ˌfen(t)-siv How to pronounce counteroffensive (audio)
: a large-scale counterattack
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!