1
as in accepting
to have a favorable opinion of
I don't countenance such behavior in children of any age
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tolerating
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
countenanced the delays and inconveniences of traveling by air with good grace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 countenancing
The castrato was proud to call himself the boy’s father, never publicly countenancing the reality that this was impossible.
—
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for countenancing
Verb
-
Cassilly later began accepting applications from residents interested in serving on the board, which led to Norkaitis’ nomination.—
Matt Hubbard,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Hadis says vendors have recently stopped accepting business cheques and that growing geopolitical tensions are causing sudden shifts in the price of Iran’s currency against the dollar.—
Frederik Pleitgen,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Specifically, kids this age are developing key emotional regulation skills, such as tolerating disappointment, embarrassment, as well as frustration and anger.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Junipers tend to be rather tough plants, tolerating heat, drought, and poor soils.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With the passage of the INA, Congress tasked immigration courts with handling removal proceedings, thereby stripping district courts of jurisdiction over immigration matters.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The brain is also far more adept at handling things like ambiguity, subtlety, and nuance.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The majority of the rooms are free standing bungalows or cottages.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
-
That means long-standing favorites—yes, even predictable quartz slabs—are falling out of favor.—
Lauren Jones,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The enduring scent of burning garbage, used as one of the sole means of ridding neighborhoods of their trash.—
Ruth Jean-Marie,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Camellias symbolize enduring love and admiration, making this winter bloom a more meaningful Valentine’s gift than predictable roses.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Konyndyk argued that mortality data won’t reflect many adverse outcomes of the aid cuts, because humanitarians and aid recipients are frantically reallocating funds; for example, taking money away from education to put it towards food.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Hana starts taking home a rib cage here, a few bones there, grinding them up with a mortar and pestle to make her own DIY version of the gray.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And for Hoka, sustaining double-digit percent growth over the medium term will depend on expansion into lifestyle.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
However, filmmakers, producers, distributors, sales agents, publicists, critics, sponsors, and former Sundance staff — many of whom credit the festival with launching or sustaining their careers — spoke on background or off the record.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Countenancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countenancing. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
