recount

1 of 3

verb (1)

re·​count ri-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
recounted; recounting; recounts
Synonyms of recountnext

transitive verb

: to relate in detail : narrate
recounter noun

recount

2 of 3

verb (2)

re·​count (ˌ)rē-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
recounted; recounting; recounts

transitive verb

: to count again

recount

3 of 3

noun

: a second or fresh count

Examples of recount in a Sentence

Verb (1) a novel that recounted an American soldier's adventures among the samurai warriors of 19th-century Japan Noun The election was very close and the loser demanded a recount.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
After the service at Kheimeh Molaghat, over coffee and sweets in the church fellowship hall, Bahraman recounted how armed Iranian forces raided the home of his parents about 15 years ago, because their family had converted to Christianity. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026 John Mulaney’s Son Wanted to Meet Elvis Presley Mulaney opened up about the moment on the March 30 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, recounting the scene with the kind of deadpan storytelling his fans know well. Ryan Brennan april 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
The campaign that resulted in this election, as Meacham and Page recount, was bruising, and there are many reasons for its outcome. Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026 Federal authorities also subpoenaed records from the Arizona Senate last month relating to its recount of Maricopa County’s 2020 ballots. Josh Meyer, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recount

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French recunter, from re- + cunter to count, relate — more at count

Verb (2)

re- + count

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1764, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of recount was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recount.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recount. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

recount

1 of 3 verb
re·​count ri-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
: to tell about in detail : narrate
recount an adventure

recount

2 of 3 verb
re·​count (ˈ)rē-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
: to count again

recount

3 of 3 noun
re·​count ˈrē-ˌkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
(ˈ)rē-ˈkau̇nt
: a second or fresh count (as of election votes)
Etymology

Verb

Middle English recounten "to tell about," from early French recunter (same meaning), from re- "again" and cunter "relate, count"

Verb

from English re- (prefix) and count

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