counterattraction

8.1

An event or place that attracts people away from another event

noun
/ˌkaʊntərəˈtrækʃən/

: contratacción

The new amusement park served as a counterattraction to the annual county fair.

Examples

A major sporting event was scheduled as a counterattraction to keep viewers from watching the rival network's show.
Many restaurants serve as a counterattraction to local theaters.
They needed a strong counterattraction to prevent guests from leaving early for the downtown concert.
The new mall is a major counterattraction to the downtown area.
The new amusement park served as a counterattraction to the annual county fair.
A major sporting event was scheduled as a counterattraction to keep viewers from watching the rival network's show.
They needed a strong counterattraction to prevent guests from leaving early for the downtown concert.

Synonyms

diverter

vscounterattraction

1 6.4

A person or thing that draws attention away from something else

competes for attention by offering an appealing alternative rather than merely shifting focus

How Attractive

obsession

280 5.1

counterattraction

8.1

attraction

160 2.1

to interest

189 1.0

Surface Forms

counterattraction singular

counterattractions plural

Morphology

counterattraction = attraction (transparent) = counter + attraction

Formed by productive prefix 'counter-' meaning 'opposing' plus the noun 'attraction'; the meaning 'a rival attraction' is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word counterattraction is made of counter- meaning 'against' or 'opposite', like in counterclockwise, and attraction meaning 'something that draws attention', like a fair or show. So, a counterattraction is an event put on 'against' another to pull people away from it.