mounts; mounted; mounting
1
: to go or climb up (something)
mount a ladder
mount the stairs
: to climb up onto (something)
mount a platform
2
: to increase in amount
Their troubles have continued to mount.
The pressure mounted as the crisis continued.
Costs can mount (up) very quickly.
3
: to seat yourself on a horse, bicycle, etc.
The cowboy mounted his horse and then quickly dismounted.
She mounted her bicycle and rode away.
The cowboy mounted (up) and rode off.
4
: to attach (something) to something for support or use
The jeweler mounted the pearl in a ring.
She mounted the photograph to a piece of cardboard.
—often + onThe airplane's engines are mounted on the wings. [=are attached to the wings]
He mounted a rack on the roof of his car.
The speakers were mounted on the walls.
He mounted a specimen on a slide for examination with a microscope.
5
: to organize and do (something that usually requires the effort of many people)
mount an assault/attack
The police have mounted a nationwide search for the killer.
She is expected to mount a serious challenge in the coming election.
The museum is mounting an exhibition of his paintings.
6
of a male animal
: to climb onto (a female animal) in order to have sex
plural mounts
1
: something onto which something else is or can be attached
a lens mount [=the part of a camera where a lens is attached]
2
old-fashioned + literary
: a horse that is being ridden by a person
The cowboy got down slowly from his mount.
Cite this Entry
“Mount.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/mount. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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