counterpolarize

present singular third person counterpolarizes · participle present counterpolarizing · participle past counterpolarized · past counterpolarized

1. To become politically radicalized in response to the opposition becoming politically extreme.

   The costly attempts to counterpolarize Caracas in Ciudad Guyana did lead to a decentralization of production but not to one of control; all headquarters are still to be found in Caracas!

   1986, Roger K. Teszler, “The Economic Impact of Proximity: Colombia, Venezuela and the Caribbean”, in Henk E. Chin, editor, The Caribbean Basin and the Changing World Economic Structure, Groningen: Wolters-Noordhoff, →ISBN, page 134

   2 more examples

   To many, the tempers over Ayodhya would complement the 17 months of the Akhilesh Yadav regime, run on the unbridled rhetoric of the likes of Azam Khan and riddled with religious clashes with obvious political gainers. The BSP has reasons to be concerned, as a religious divide could push minorities towards the rival and even counterpolarize groups of Hindus.

   2013 August 24, “Will UP see a playback of 1990s?”, in Economic Times, Mumbai: The Times Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Aug 2025

   I think that MAHA is the wrong answer to the right question. How would you think about beginning to formulate the right answer to that question rather than just counterpolarizing into a defense of the institutions or policies as they exist?

   2025 August 22, Ezra Klein, “MAHA Is a Bad Answer to a Good Question”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 Aug 2025

2. chemistryTo polarize in a manner that is opposite to or counteracts a previous instance of polarization.

   1 more example

   Thus, with respect to the x axis, the silicon has a polarizing influence on the oxygen ion and the two cations have a counter polarizing action; with respect to the y axis, one of the cations polarizes the oxygen and the other counterpolarizes it; with respect to the z axis, the polarizing action of the two cations is additive.

   1967 January, V.I. Malkin, B.M. Mogutnov, A.G. Ryl'nikova, “Refraction of the Oxygen Ion in Three-Component Silicate Melts”, in Inorganic Materials, volume 3, number 1, page 124