counteroffer

counteroffer — noun

1. a new proposal that you make to someone after they have turned down your first o

1.nounB1
Definition

a new proposal that you make to someone after they have turned down your first offer, or after you have said no to theirs — a back-and-forth step in buying, selling, or negotiating an agreement.

Example

Mei-Lin wanted the vintage desk for $200, and the seller came back with a counteroffer of $250.

counteroffer of [amount] — specifying the new proposed figure

Luis rejected the salary package, and the company sent a counteroffer with extra vacation days.

send + a counteroffer — verb + noun collocation

Common collocations
  • make a counteroffer
  • submit a counteroffer
  • counteroffer of + amount
  • reject a counteroffer
  • accept a counteroffer
Synonyms
  • counterproposal

    more general; used in any negotiation context, not just buying and selling

  • bid

    more specific to auctions and competitive situations

  • revised offer

    emphasises that the original offer has been changed

Antonyms
  • acceptance

    the act of agreeing to an offer instead of changing it

  • rejection

    saying no without offering a new proposal

Grammar Patterns

make + a counteroffer

submit + a counteroffer

Common Mistakes

I made a counteroffer price of $300.
I made a counteroffer of $300.
counteroffer already includes the idea of price; do not add 'price' after it.
She counteroffer $250.
She made a counteroffer of $250.
counteroffer is a noun, not a verb.

2. a written or spoken response to an initial business or legal offer that keeps th

2.nounB2
Definition

a written or spoken response to an initial business or legal offer that keeps the main idea of the deal alive but changes certain conditions — for example, the price, the deadline, or the quantity of goods.

Example

Wei's lawyer sent a counteroffer that changed the payment schedule but kept the total price the same.

counteroffer + that-clause specifying the modified terms

The supplier's counteroffer moved delivery from March to May and cut the minimum order size.

Common collocations
  • draft a counteroffer
  • prepare a counteroffer
  • counteroffer with adjusted terms
  • counteroffer that alters/clarifies
  • submit a written counteroffer
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • initial offer

    the starting proposal before any counter is made

  • final offer

    a last proposal that the other party must accept or reject without further change

Grammar Patterns

draft + a counteroffer

counteroffer + adjusting/changing [specific term]

Usage Note

This sense is common in written contracts and formal negotiations. The counteroffer typically keeps the original deal's core purpose but revises specific clauses such as price, timing, or quantity.

Common Mistakes

She gave a counteroffer with cheaper price.
She gave a counteroffer with a lower price.
use 'lower' not 'cheaper' for prices in formal contexts.
The counteroffer and the offer are same.
The counteroffer differs from the original offer in several terms.
a counteroffer must change at least one condition by definition.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a response to an initial offer, but they differ in scope and formality. Counterproposal is the broadest term — it works in any negotiation, from informal roommate discussions to boardroom meetings. Bid is narrower: it belongs in auctions, competitive tenders, and situations where multiple parties are trying to buy or win something. Revised offer implies the original proposer has adjusted their own terms rather than the other party responding. Conditional acceptance is legally distinct: the person says 'yes' to the offer but adds a condition they want met, which under contract law often acts as a counteroffer itself. In everyday use, counteroffer is the most natural word when you name a different price or set of terms after saying no to the first proposal.

counterproposalbid ↗revised offerconditional acceptance

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in response to
  • as a counteroffer
  • by way of a counteroffer

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Counteroffer is a compound word formed in English from the prefix counter- (meaning 'against' or 'in return') and the noun offer. The prefix comes from Latin contra ('against'), while offer traces back through Old French offrir to Latin offerre ('to present, bring before'). The word has been used in commercial and legal contexts since the 1700s to describe a proposal made in place of one that has been rejected.

First known use

1788

1788, in the meaning defined above