Word

counterpart

noun C1

UK /ˈkaʊntəˌpɑːt/

US /ˈkaʊntɚˌpɑɹt/

Meanings

noun

A person in another organization or place who has the same job or responsibility as someone else.

noun

A thing that corresponds to another because it has the same function, position, or general characteristics.

Definition

A counterpart is a person or thing that has a similar role or function to another in a different place or context.

A counterpart is someone or something that matches another in position, purpose, or importance, often in another organization or country. It is used when you want to compare roles side by side, such as two officials, two departments, or two versions of the same item. The word suggests a clear correspondence, not just a vague similarity.

Examples

During the joint press briefing, the minister met her French counterpart to align their priorities.
I emailed my counterpart in Tokyo to confirm the updated timeline before we announced it internally.
The new policy has no clear counterpart in the previous guidelines, which makes comparisons difficult.
After the merger, he struggled to find a counterpart who could approve the changes as quickly as before.

Common mistake

Learners often use "counterpart" to mean any friend or colleague, but it specifically refers to someone or something with an equivalent role or function.