count out

verb

counted out; counting out; counts out

transitive verb

1
: to not include (someone) in an activity
If you are looking for people to help you clean the house today, count me out.
2
: to decide that (someone or something) cannot win or succeed
Don't count out our team just yet. They could still win.
3
: to count (a certain number of items to be separated from a quantity one is holding)
He counted out ten tickets and handed them to her.
4
: to signal the knockout of (a boxer who is down) by completing an audible count of 10 seconds before the boxer rises

Examples of count out in a Sentence

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.
Girls Etiwanda 67, Ontario Christian 62: Never count out the Eagles and coach Stan Delus. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025 But don't count out the XF 500mm if light carry or brighter optics are a priority. PCMAG, 5 Mar. 2025 Finally, don’t count out the Anaheim Ducks, who delivered a solid 5-2 smackdown to Vancouver at Honda Center on Thursday night. Carol Schram, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 But don’t count out Golden Globe and indie Annie winner Flow, the category’s only other contender also nominated beyond this category (best international feature), which, like 2024 winner The Boy and the Heron, hails from outside the studio system. Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for count out

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of count out was in 1854

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Cite this Entry

“Count out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/count%20out. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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