Counterplay

noun, verb

noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1
A game move made as a response. countable, uncountable
2
(chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board wordnet
3
A counterattack in a different part of the board. countable, uncountable
"Milov might have tried 15 ... b4 to give himself some counterplay on the queenside."
4
A subversive style of gameplay in which a player attempts to overturn the usual rules and conventions of the game. countable, uncountable
"Near-synonym: playing off meta — colloquial"

Verb

1
To make a counterplay; to play in response.
"I knew that, with this arrangement, unless I should counterplay, they would soon fleece me."
2
To counter; to contrast or contradict.
"Yürük weaving generally comprises a rich burnt apricot, particularly in the borders; a mulberry-red filling large areas of the field; lighter reds used to counterplay against a deep, dark crimson […]"

Synonyms

counterattack counterattack playing off meta

Example

"Milov might have tried 15 ... b4 to give himself some counterplay on the queenside."

Etymology

From counter- + play.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.