counteroffer

noun

coun·​ter·​of·​fer ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌȯ-fər How to pronounce counteroffer (audio)
-ˌä-fər
Synonyms of counteroffernext
: a return offer made by one who has rejected an offer

Examples of counteroffer in a Sentence

He turned down the deal and came back with a counteroffer asking for more money.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Earlier this week, Senate Democrats sent the White House their latest counteroffer. — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026 Democrats sent over a counteroffer Wednesday morning that included ICE guardrails, which was also shot down by Republicans. — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026 Whereas each round of negotiations in past shutdowns would make headlines, the offers and counteroffers are passing back and forth under disciplined secrecy, and no one seems to be taking them all that seriously. — Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Mar. 2026 At the same time, Anderson recruited Burkle as the heavy hitting investor behind a counteroffer to keep the team in Sacramento that ultimately fell through after Burkle pulled out. — Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for counteroffer

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counteroffer was in 1788

Rhymes for counteroffer

See All Rhymes for counteroffer

Browse Nearby Words

counteroffensive
counteroffer
counterorder
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Counteroffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counteroffer. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Legal Definition

counteroffer

noun
coun·​ter·​of·​fer ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌȯ-fər How to pronounce counteroffer (audio)
: an offer that is made in response to another and that has additional or differing terms

Note: Under common law, a counteroffer does not constitute an acceptance of an offer and is often considered a rejection of the offer.

counteroffer intransitive verb

More from Merriam-Webster on counteroffer

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for counteroffer

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