counteroffensive
counteroffensive Lexical Profile
• noun
A large-scale strategic campaign, attack, or concerted response launched by a side that was previously defending against an opponent's advance or criticism.
"Following weeks of negative press, the company launched a public relations counteroffensive to restore consumer trust."
• adjective
Relating to, constituting, or engaged in a strategic action or campaign undertaken to repel an opponent's advance or criticism.
"The legal team adopted a counteroffensive strategy to challenge the allegations in court."
• Rhymes for counteroffensive
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 20th century by combining the prefix 'counter-' (from Latin 'contra', meaning 'against') with 'offensive' (from Medieval Latin 'offensivus'), originally modeled after French 'contre-offensive' during World War I.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.