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

Kids can pour and stir the salts, count out drops of essential oil and help spoon the mixture into small glass jars. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Don’t count out data centers, either. —David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026

Twenty-five points, his most in a playoff game since 2020 with the Boston Celtics, to go along with seven assists and five steals turned Smart into the face of a franchise for a night, a team that was all but counted out a week ago without its two leading scorers. —Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026

Zayn wanted the referee to count out Williams. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for count out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout