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Countervail: meaning, definitions and examples

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countervail

 

[ ˌkaʊntərˈveɪl ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

to counteract

To countervail means to act against something in order to reduce its force or neutralize it. It implies a balancing effect, often used in legal or ethical contexts to describe actions that offset or counterbalance other actions.

Synonyms

counteract, counterbalance, neutralize, offset

Examples of usage

  • The new laws were designed to countervail the negative effects of pollution.
  • He tried to countervail the criticism with a strong defense of his actions.
  • Efforts to countervail the impact of the recession proved effective in stabilizing the economy.

Translations

Translations of the word "countervail" in other languages:

🇵🇹 contrabalançar

🇮🇳 प्रतिपूर्ति करना

🇩🇪 ausgleichen

🇮🇩 mengimbangi

🇺🇦 протидіяти

🇵🇱 przeciwdziałać

🇯🇵 対抗する

🇫🇷 contrebalancer

🇪🇸 contrarrestar

🇹🇷 karşıt olmak

🇰🇷 상쇄하다

🇸🇦 يعاكس

🇨🇿 vyvážit

🇸🇰 vyvážiť

🇨🇳 抵消

🇸🇮 uravnati

🇮🇸 mótmæla

🇰🇿 қарсы шығу

🇬🇪 წინააღმდეგობა

🇦🇿 qarşı durmaq

🇲🇽 contrarrestar

Word origin

The word 'countervail' has its origins in the late Middle English period, derived from the Old French word 'contrevailler', which means to 'counter' or 'to be equal to'. This itself comes from the Latin 'contra' meaning 'against' and 'valere' meaning 'to be strong'. Over time, it evolved to emphasize the notion of balancing forces against one another. The term has been used in various contexts including legal and economic frameworks where one factor needs to be offset by another to maintain equilibrium. Its usage has persisted in English mainly in formal contexts, reflecting intricate relationships between opposing forces.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #34,919 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.