body count

noun

1
: a count of the bodies of killed enemy soldiers
2
: the number of persons involved in a particular activity

Examples of body count in a Sentence

The rising body count fueled opposition to the war.
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.
That’s where the conversation about body count becomes deeply problematic. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 18 June 2025 Drawing parallels to the Vietnam War, Mario says that Colombian officers like himself came under fierce pressure from the top brass to run up the body count. John Otis, NPR, 27 May 2025 Instead, though, the low body count seems commensurate with the horror of death. Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 24 May 2025 As Andor concluded, its body count grew and grew, but so did its esteem for those who gave their lives to the cause. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for body count

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of body count was in 1962

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Cite this Entry

“Body count.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20count. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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