PoliticsAugust 16, 2026

countervailing

KOWN-ter-vay-ling

Definition

Acting against something to exert an opposing or neutralizing effect.

Etymology

Derived from the Middle English 'countervailen', which combines the Latin 'contra' (against) and 'valere' (to be strong or worth), literally meaning 'to be of equal strength or value against'.

In the news

The article describes social progress as a movement that predictably triggers a countervailing reaction, where established interests use the legal system to push back against new political gains.

The Legal Paths to Hoarding Political and Economic Power

Read the full article ↗

Jacobin

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