counterbalance Syllabification: (coun·ter·bal·ance)Translate counterbalance | into German | into Italian | into Spanish Definition of counterbalance noun Pronunciation: /ˈkountərˌbaləns/ a weight that balances another weight. a factor having the opposite effect to that of another and so preventing it from exercising a disproportionate influence:his restoration to power was intended as a counterbalance to his rival’s influence verb Pronunciation: /ˌkountərˈbaləns/ [with object] (of a weight) balance (another weight). neutralize or cancel by exerting an opposite influence:the extra cost of mail order may be counterbalanced by its conveniencecounterbalance in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of counterbalance in the British & World English dictionary