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

Argentina still trailed after 75 minutes, but Messi and his teammates were very much in the game and have shown throughout this World Cup that they cannot be counted out. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

Out of the eight remaining squads, Switzerland might be the least glamorous, but at this juncture of the competition, no teams should be counted out. — Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Even though the smash hit aired well ahead of voting, it’s counted out because it was fully funded and produced by Canadian outfit Crave (Bell Media). — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 6 July 2026

And they cannot be counted out until the final whistle screeches. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 6 July 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