recount

1 of 3

verb (1)

re·​count ri-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
recounted; recounting; recounts

transitive verb

: to relate in detail : narrate
recounter noun

recount

2 of 3

verb (2)

re·​count (ˌ)rē-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
recounted; recounting; recounts

transitive verb

: to count again

recount

3 of 3

noun

re·​count ˈrē-ˌkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
(ˌ)rē-ˈkau̇nt
: a second or fresh count

Example Sentences

Noun The election was very close and the loser demanded a recount.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
McLaughlin recounted this story of heroism to anyone who would listen at the Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony Monday morning at the Dorchester park named in Walsh’s honor. Deanna Pan, BostonGlobe.com, 29 May 2023 The slim and open-ended story is recounted indirectly, with relatively little dialogue. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 16 May 2023 As our sessions continued, Ella recounted more strange incidents. Rebecca J. Lester, Scientific American, 16 May 2023 In testimony before a state Senate committee on March 16, Grand Fire Protection District Chief Brad White recounted how the 193,812-acre East Troublesome Fire in 2020 traveled 25 miles overnight and incinerated 366 homes, so far costing $720 million. Jennifer Oldham, ProPublica, 15 May 2023 This is recounted in Robert D. McFadden’s obit of Carter III in the New York Times. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 15 May 2023 Neely’s father, Andre Zachery, wept as another family lawyer, Lennon Edwards, recounted the last moments before Penny tackled Neely to the ground and put him in a chokehold. Jake Offenhartz, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2023 Model and former RuPaul's Drag Race season 3 contestant Carmen Carrera has recounted surviving a deadly nightclub shooting in Miami. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 7 May 2023 The past few years have brought to light the complicated relationship between the next heir to the British throne, Prince William, and his younger brother, referred to as the Spare in the palace growing up, as Harry recounted in his tell-all memoir earlier this year. Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 6 May 2023
Noun
University Park Village Trustee Theo Brooks has conceded that Mayor Joesph Roudez was reelected to a second term following a recount of votes from the April 4 election, but called for a change in the University Park electoral process. Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2023 On the 797th day after the defeat of former President Donald Trump, a rural Pennsylvania county on Monday began a recount of ballots from Election Day 2020. Trip Gabriel, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Jan. 2023 That figure is larger than President Biden’s 2020 vote margin in two states, Georgia (11,779) and Arizona (10,457), and in a 2024 recount at least some of those Pennsylvania ballots would end up in court. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 3 Jan. 2023 Republican Liz Harris went into the recount 270 votes ahead of Republican Julie Willoughby in the race for a seat in state House District 13, which includes parts of Chandler, Sun Lakes and Gilbert. CBS News, 29 Dec. 2022 Mayes' lead from November was nearly halved in the recount. Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 29 Dec. 2022 Judge Timothy Thomason reset the recount announcement for 10 a.m. Dec. 29. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 22 Dec. 2022 The vast majority of precincts − about 94% − requested in the recount were able to be reviewed, Brater said. Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2022 The recount found a four-vote difference from November’s result. Ben Kamisar, NBC News, 13 Dec. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recount.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French recunter, from re- + cunter to count, relate — more at count

Verb (2)

re- + count

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1764, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of recount was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near recount

Cite this Entry

“Recount.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recount. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

recount

1 of 3 verb
re·​count ri-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
: to tell about in detail : narrate
recount an adventure

recount

2 of 3 verb
re·​count (ˈ)rē-ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
: to count again

recount

3 of 3 noun
re·​count ˈrē-ˌkau̇nt How to pronounce recount (audio)
(ˈ)rē-ˈkau̇nt
: a second or fresh count (as of election votes)
Etymology

Verb

Middle English recounten "to tell about," from early French recunter (same meaning), from re- "again" and cunter "relate, count"

Verb

from English re- (prefix) and count

More from Merriam-Webster on recount

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