counting

Definition of countingnext
present participle of count
1
as in telling
to find the sum of (a collection of things) by noting each one as it is being added count the baseball gloves in the storage locker to see if there are enough to go around

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in weighing
to be of importance punctuality and a neat appearance count during a job interview

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of counting And that isn’t counting another 65 individuals who have currently been found beds at local hotels or motels in greater Hartford. Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026 The difference between counting down the minutes and barely noticing the time often comes down to what’s in your carry-on. Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026 To its credit, Finland, already guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, didn’t use the virus as an excuse, counting Saturday’s loss as a win simply because the team made it onto the ice. Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026 The panel of 16 holds the majority of weight in the decision, with their ballots counting for 80% of the vote and the fan vote accounting for the remaining 20%. Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026 But in recent months, he's started tracking these ICE flights in and out of Minneapolis, counting the people loaded on as they are forced to leave the state. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026 Again, no one’s counting them out just yet. Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026 That ranks near the bottom of the SEC just above Ole Miss, although the stadium can fit approximately 2,000, counting standing room in the outfield. Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026 Kansas is not counting the games in 2018 vacated due to NCAA penalties in that total. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counting
Verb
  • The Chinese government reacted by telling Chinese citizens not to travel to Japan, threatening economic retaliation, and pulling the plug on meetings that were long planned, putting a pretty deep freeze on China-Japan relations.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
  • After initially telling students and staff to stay indoors, Arlington ISD is now saying that folks are safe to go outside.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Maryam Zar, who formed a community group to help guide the recovery from the Palisades fire, is also weighing a mayoral bid — and doesn’t plan to decide until the final day.
    David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Analysts say Beijing may be weighing trade, investment and other measures to respond – and dissuade other countries in the region from taking similar steps.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The research team focused on solving this problem at the hardware level rather than relying only on software improvements.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
  • For veterans relying on disability benefits to cover rent, food or medical care, those delays can be devastating.
    Irene Watkins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • According to a report by Swiss multinational investment bank UBS, 36% of its 87 billionaire clients surveyed had already relocated at least once in 2025, while another 9% were considering doing so.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
  • But the task proved daunting considering that Chopra Jonas, 30 at the time, was no longer in the ingenue phase of her life.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The performance gap between Chinese and US models, while not enormous, persists largely due to constraints on computing power and capital.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The company says the setup doubled training speed without increasing computing resources.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Psychologists, sociologists, and philosophers vary in their definitions of mattering, but at its core, mattering is the feeling that we are valued and have value to add to the world.
    Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
  • When age stopped mattering During the bourbon boom that accelerated after 2012, demand exploded faster than distilleries could age whiskey.
    Emily Price, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Company leaders need to define explicitly what AI fluency means for employees depending on their role.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Anything left to mention A 4x4 transfer along a road (and beach, depending on the tide) is the usual way to get there, but the fantasy arrival would be to wade ashore after sailing along the coast on a traditional dhow.
    Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This greatly improved the meetings that both boards have regarding our budget discussions and has lead to a better understanding between the two bodies.
    Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The White House and Vance’s office have discouraged speculation regarding why Vance did not go to Munich.
    Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 14 Feb. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Counting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counting. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on counting

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!