countdown

noun

count·​down ˈkau̇nt-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce countdown (audio)
Synonyms of countdownnext
: an audible backward counting in fixed units (such as seconds) from an arbitrary starting number to mark the time remaining before an event
also : preparations carried on during such a count
count down intransitive verb

Examples of countdown in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Harry is expected to be in the UK for events related to the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 2 July 2026 The organizer said the rolling countdown is designed to unite Americans across the country during the nation's semiquincentennial celebration. ABC News, 2 July 2026 With the first steel piles officially in the ground, the countdown to the plant’s 2029 operational debut is underway. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026 The countdown to America's 250th anniversary is underway, and so is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Justin Adams, CBS News, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for countdown

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of countdown was circa 1952

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Cite this Entry

“Countdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/countdown. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

countdown

noun
count·​down ˈkau̇nt-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce countdown (audio)
: the process of counting off backward in fixed units (as seconds) the time remaining before an event (as the launching of a rocket)

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