counterargument.

An argument offered to challenge or limit another argument or its conclusion.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• address a counterargument
• strong counterargument
• anticipate counterarguments

On the page

The essay addresses the counterargument that the subsidy rewards firms that would hire anyway.

A strong counterargument challenges the causal inference rather than the existence of the data.

Acknowledging a counterargument can reveal where a thesis needs narrower wording.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic. Responds with reasons, not merely disagreement. A counterargument may challenge evidence, inference, assumptions, or scope rather than deny every part of the claim. Singular: counterargument; plural: counterarguments.