counter-offer
/ˈkaʊntər ˈɒfər/
CommonA response to a job offer proposing different terms, usually a higher salary.
Carries more weight than just 'negotiating'. A counter-offer is a specific proposal, not a conversation.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | sent the counter-offer 10 minutes ago and now i am just staring at my phone | Waiting anxiously after submitting a higher number. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | they came in at 95. i counter-offered 115. they said yes. always ask. | The employer accepted a noticeably higher counter-offer. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | they rejected the counter-offer but came up 5k. taking it. | The employer did not fully match the ask but offered a compromise. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | got a counter-offer from my current job when they found out i was leaving. too little too late. | Current employer tried to retain with a new offer but the decision was already made. | linkedin, 2023 |
Use it when
- You received a job offer and plan to propose a higher number.
- You are sharing the specific number you asked for.
- The company responded to your counter and you are deciding what to do next.
Do not use it when
- You are just thinking about negotiating but haven't made an ask yet.Use “salary negotiation” instead.
Counter-offer vs salary negotiation
counter-offer
A counter-offer is the concrete proposal you put back to the employer.
VS
salary-negotiation
Salary negotiation is the overall process of discussing and improving the package.
Origin and context
Standard contract and HR terminology adopted into everyday career conversation as salary transparency and negotiation advice spread on social media.
- First seen
- pre-2000s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/counter-offerUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0