(DoD) Attack by part or all of a defending force against an enemy attacking force, for such specific purposes as regaining ground lost or cutting off or destroying enemy advance units, and with the general objective of denying to the enemy the attainment of the enemy's purpose in attacking. In sustained defensive operations, it is undertaken to restore the battle position and is directed at limited objectives. See also countermove.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). counterattack. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/counterattack/definitions/1961097 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "counterattack" http://smartdefine.org/counterattack/definitions/1961097 (accessed September 22, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, counterattack, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/counterattack/definitions/1961097>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "counterattack" 4 April 2011. Web. 22 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/counterattack/definitions/1961097> |