number 1 of 2

Definition of numbernext
1
as in digit
a character used to represent a mathematical value asked him to write out the equation in numbers, not letters

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2
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production a doomsday novel that turns out to be one of those it-was-all-a-dream numbers

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3
as in act
a performance regularly presented by an individual or group a modern dance number

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4
5
as in feat
an act of notable skill, strength, or cleverness a stunning gymnastics number that really impressed the judges

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6
as in calculation
numbers plural the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value if you believe the president's numbers, we can afford these new programs and still have tax cuts

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number

2 of 2

verb

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 number
Noun
The mathematical study of tones dates at least as far back as the 5th century BCE Pythagorean philosophers of ancient Greece, but there is still a lot to learn about the numbers behind the notes. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Feb. 2026 The table is going to need an extension; the number of newbies moving into the video and podcast space only keeps climbing. Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
Danaher ’s days in the portfolio may be numbered. Matthew J. Belvedere,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2026 The rules protect the North Atlantic right whale, which numbers less than 400 and lives off the East Coast. ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for number
Recent Examples of Synonyms for number
Noun
  • The Illini kept pouring it on until the final minute, when Illinois’ big man Tomislav Ivisic threw down an alley-oop to push Illinois into triple digits.
    Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
  • By the time Fat Tuesday arrives, the numbers swell into five digits.
    Vivian Richey, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Exploring different lunar regions with the Artemis program could provide a more complete portrait of the landscape and its composition, and uncover clues on why the moon’s near and far sides differ, how much water the moon contains and how the silvery orb has evolved over time.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Energy-dispersive spectroscopy checked whether the chemical composition had changed.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 21 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The act allows the president to push industries to create materials and goods for national defense.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Enter Sheila, a street magician blackballed by the local boys club who wows Lincoln with her tips-only act.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Finally, Marilyn is not presented as a cipher to be solved or quarry to be caged.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
  • The Blind Owl is extremely dense, brimming with metaphors and ciphers and symbols.
    Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Current coaches Dana Altman and Kelvin Sampson have also accomplished the feat, while Eddie Sutton, Roy Williams, Fran Dunphy, Lou Henson, Bob Huggins and Jim Larranaga had done it previously.
    Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Iowa's dominance in collegiate wrestling The Hawkeyes lead all Iowa schools with 24 team titles at the NCAA Championships, last accomplishing this feat in 2021, and are second all-time, behind Oklahoma State (34).
    Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • These calculations are computationally intensive and only recently became feasible.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Florida Blue gave me some crazy calculation about meeting out-of-pocket deductibles.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The group has been accurate in counting deaths during previous rounds of unrest in Iran and relies on a network of activists there to verify deaths.
    Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
  • Exhibition games don’t count toward that total, so Sunday’s triple play was basically dust in the wind.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Brian Chau, a food scientist and founder of food science and food systems consultancy Chau Time, said many AI food startups are still in the data-collection phase, working to aggregate enough real-world information to make their models meaningfully predictive.
    Barbara Booth, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The clinic has developed a proprietary algorithm, the Tulah Life Index, which aggregates metrics ranging from gut health to muscle mass into a single score out of 100.
    Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Number.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/number. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

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