plural countdowns
1
: the act of counting down the number of seconds that remain before something (such as the launch of a rocket) happens
—usually singular
Begin the countdown.
The engineers stopped the countdown because something was wrong with the engine.
2
: the period of time before an important or special event
—usually singular —usually + to
the countdown to summer vacation
the steady countdown to war
Cite this Entry
“Countdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/countdown. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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