counterpunch
noun, verb
counterpunch is spelled C-O-U-N-T-E-R-P-U-N-C-H: 12 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 10 million words in written English, the 93,703rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, counterpunch means “A punch delivered in response to a previous punch by somebody else, such as an opponent in a boxing match: a return blow, a retaliatory blow” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of counterpunch is counterpunches.
How many letters and syllables are in counterpunch?
| Letters | 12: C-O-U-N-T-E-R-P-U-N-C-H |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 10 million words; the 93,703rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is counterpunch?
Counterpunch appears about once in every 10 million words in written English, the 93,703rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce counterpunch?
Counterpunch has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Words people confuse with counterpunch
Also written: counter-punch (one word or two).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of counterpunch
- counterpunches plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- counter-punch
- counterpunching participle, present
- counterpunched participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does counterpunch mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A punch delivered in response to a previous punch by somebody else, such as an opponent in a boxing match: a return blow, a retaliatory blow.
Near-synonyms: counterattack, counterstrike
- 2
A punch used in the cutting of other punches, often used to create the negative space in or around a glyph.
verb
- 1
To deliver a punch designed to exploit an opponent's momentary defensive weakness caused by a punch thrown by the opponent.
- 2
To deliver a competitive response to an opponent designed to exploit a weakness created by the opponent's offensive efforts.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Counterpunch in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense punch delivered in response to a previous punch by somebody else:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | contragolpe |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does counterpunch come from?
From counter- + punch.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).