Counteract
/ˌkaʊntərˈækt/
verbB2
Definition
Counteract means to act against something to reduce its effect or to stop it from causing harm. When one thing causes a problem, to counteract is to do something that works in the opposite way to fix or lessen the problem.
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⚡ See It in Action
To reduce or stop a harmful effect by acting against it
- •The new medicine helps to counteract the side effects of the treatment.
- •Drinking water can counteract the effects of heat and prevent dehydration.
- •Wearing a helmet counteracts the risk of head injury during biking.
To act in opposition to something to balance or neutralize it
- •The government introduced policies to counteract inflation.
- •Exercise can counteract the negative effects of a poor diet.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "counteract" like "stop," but with more action that works against a problem instead of just ending it
- ✓Picture two people pushing against each other with equal force to keep balance—one force tries to move forward, the other tries to stop it
- ✓It’s the feeling when you take medicine to fight a headache or when you wear sunscreen to protect your skin from sunburn
- ✓Sounds like "counter-act" → imagine acting (doing something) to go against (counter) a problem or effect
- ✓Think of a superhero who stops a villain’s plan by doing the opposite action to save the day
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (doing nothing), counteract means you actively do something to fix or reduce a problem
- ✓NOT like "cause" (make something happen), counteract means to work against or prevent something bad
- ✓NOT like "cancel" (remove completely), counteract might only reduce or balance the effect, not always remove it fully
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Neutralize: to make something ineffective or harmless (Use when you want to say the effect is made powerless)
- •Offset: to balance something by having an opposite effect (Use when two effects balance each other out)
- •Reduce: to make something smaller or less (Use when the effect is lessened but not stopped)
- •Oppose: to act against or resist (Use when focusing on acting against something actively)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "counter-" (against, opposite) + "act" (to do something)
- •Etymology: From Latin roots, where "counter" means against and "act" means to do or move
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to mean acting against something harmful or unwanted
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in medicine, science, and everyday life to describe actions that reduce negative effects or balance forces
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you had to counteract a problem in your life? What did you do?
•How can understanding the idea of counteracting help us make better decisions in health or environment?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.Taking vitamins can help counteract the ___ effects of poor nutrition.
2.To counteract the cold weather, people often wear ___ clothes and use heaters.
3.Unlike ignoring a problem, to counteract it you must take ___ action.
4.Sunscreen is used to counteract the ___ effects of the sun’s rays on the skin.
5.The company introduced new rules to counteract the ___ caused by old policies.
6.Exercise can counteract the effects of sitting too long by ___ the body.
7.When two chemicals react, one may counteract the ___ of the other to keep balance.