A person or military unit that responds to an attack by launching their own attack against the opponent.
From counter- + attacker (one who attacks, from attack + the agent suffix -er). This term became common in military terminology in the 19th and 20th centuries.
In chess, football, and martial arts, the counterattacker is often the player who seems to be losing until their opponent overcommits—then victory suddenly shifts through swift reversal, making them the ultimate strategic opportunist.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.