Thesaurus results for COUNT DOWN

countdown

noun

Definition of countdown

as in preliminary

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of countdown Put them down and put your camera away as the countdown reaches the last 30 seconds—the heart-in-your-throat moments of the experience. — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026 As the countdown to the 2026 college football season begins, UCF is ready to shift its focus from preseason camp to facing an actual opponent. — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026 Someone listening to SpaceX's live stream began a countdown from 5 seconds, and everyone went silent and hands and eyes moved to cameras and viewfinders. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026 Yet even as his tenure enters its countdown, Duffy continues to lead a critical fight over the regulatory boundaries of derivatives markets. — CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for countdown

Recent Examples of Synonyms for countdown

Noun

This year’s Miss World competition recently made headlines during the preliminaries when Ugandan delegate Elle Muhoza made a powerful fashion statement.

— Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
But all of that was just the preliminaries for Grady Emerson.

— John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026

Definition of preliminary

Noun

The overture came after months of tension between Canada and the United States, the country’s biggest export market and closest neighbor.

— Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
They’re also required to report any such overtures to the league.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of overture

Noun

Zach Benson’s playoff performance looked like a prelude to a breakout.

— Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
In 1996, when the first three novels were reprinted again, Kennedy appended a prelude that reads like an account of the cycle’s evolution—except that the author of these books is identified as Billy Phelan’s nephew Daniel Quinn.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of prelude

Browse Nearby Words

countable

countdown

countdowns

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Countdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countdown. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of countdown

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

elegiac

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes