counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt 
1
: one of two corresponding copies of a legal instrument : duplicate
2
a
: a thing that fits another perfectly
b
: something that completes : complement
the lead actress and her male counterpart
3
a
: one remarkably similar to another
The crow is sometimes mistaken for its larger counterpart, the raven.
b
: one having the same function or characteristics as another
college presidents and their counterparts in business
Examples of counterpart in a Sentence
The secretary of defense met with his counterparts in Asia to discuss the nuclear crisis.
Metal tools replaced their stone counterparts many, many years ago.
the lead actress and her male counterpart
Recent Examples on the Web
Given the importance of preserving relations with the FCC, which has a say over a range of local station matters and must approve any mergers involving the transfer of broadcast licenses, LeGeyt has deliberately avoided a direct clash with his Washington counterpart.
—
Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Altman’s rivalry with Musk is one among several in Silicon Valley; the OpenAI boss famously refused to hold hands with his Anthropic counterpart at a recent AI event in India.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
The species evolved to adapt, with some growing larger and others smaller than their mainland counterparts, explaining the larger size of the island scrub-jay and the small size of the island fox.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 29 Apr. 2026
His counterpart, former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi, was much sharper, throwing seven scoreless innings for the Rangers.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterpart
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Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Altman’s rivalry with Musk is one among several in Silicon Valley; the OpenAI boss famously refused to hold hands with his Anthropic counterpart at a recent AI event in India.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
The species evolved to adapt, with some growing larger and others smaller than their mainland counterparts, explaining the larger size of the island scrub-jay and the small size of the island fox.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 29 Apr. 2026
His counterpart, former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi, was much sharper, throwing seven scoreless innings for the Rangers.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for counterpart
Cite this Entry
“Counterpart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterpart. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌpärt
1
: a part or thing that matches another
the left arm is the counterpart of the right
2
: something that serves to complete something else : complement
3
: a person closely resembling another
Legal Definition
counterpart
noun
coun·ter·part
ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt
: one of two corresponding or duplicate copies of a legal instrument
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