Standard Lemma guide

counterargument

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

An argument that is opposed to another argument.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: rebuttal, refutation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rebuttal, refutation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: argument

2

noun

Meaning 2

an argument offered in opposition to another argument

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: argument, statement

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Proto-Indo-European *-teros Proto-Italic *-teros Proto-Italic *komterosder. Proto-Italic *komterād Latin contrāder. Old French contre- Anglo-Norman countre-bor. Middle English counter- English counter- Proto-Indo-European *h2erǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *h2érǵus Proto-Italic *argus Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *-ti Proto-Italic *-ō Proto-Italic *arguō Latin arguō Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-mentom Latin -mentum Latin argūmentumder. Anglo-Norman arguementbor. Middle English argument English argument English counterargument From counter- + argument.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: contraargument — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Czech: protiargument — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Dutch: tegenargument — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Finnish: vastaväite — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Finnish: vasta-argumentti — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • French: contre-argument — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • German: Gegenargument — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • German: Gegengrund — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Greek: αντεπιχείρημα (antepicheírima) — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Hungarian: ellenérv — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Latin: contrādictiō — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Polish: kontrargument — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Portuguese: contra-argumento — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Romanian: contraargument — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Russian: контраргуме́нт (kontrargumént) — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Spanish: contraargumento — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Swedish: motargument — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Turkish: kontrargüman — an argument that is opposed to another argument
  • Ukrainian: контраргуме́нт (kontrarhumént) — an argument that is opposed to another argument