1
as in assessment
the act of placing a value on the nature, character, or quality of something
that old chest isn't worth much by my reckoning, but an antiques dealer might think otherwise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in calculation
the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value
you forgot about the decimal point, so your reckoning was way off
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in estimating
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement
tried to reckon the size of the crowd at the stadium
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thinking
chiefly dialect
to have as an opinion
I reckon you must be new to these parts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in calculating
to determine (a value) by doing the necessary mathematical operations
reckoned the runner's pace by dividing her finishing time by the race distance
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in relying
to place reliance or trust
don't reckon on being provided with low-cost housing if you take a summer job there
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in considering
to think of in a particular way
he was reckoned among the great heroes of his time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 reckoning
Daniel R. Quiles, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Hamilton’s potential campaign would mark an extraordinary reckoning for Kansas’ two-party system, setting up a confrontation between a widely popular independent candidate and a political structure that has long favored Republicans and Democrats.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Juliegrace Brufke, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
Peach growers throughout the Yuba-Sutter area and Central Valley are reckoning with the fallout from Del Monte’s bankruptcy, which stranded many growers with 20-year contracts for peaches totaling more than $550 million.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reckoning
Noun
For Paksa, the science in question was that of post-traumatic reckoning, for individual and body politic alike.
—Daniel R. Quiles, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Hamilton’s potential campaign would mark an extraordinary reckoning for Kansas’ two-party system, setting up a confrontation between a widely popular independent candidate and a political structure that has long favored Republicans and Democrats.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
Still, the race has become a flashpoint in the party’s broader reckoning about age and leadership.
—Juliegrace Brufke, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
Peach growers throughout the Yuba-Sutter area and Central Valley are reckoning with the fallout from Del Monte’s bankruptcy, which stranded many growers with 20-year contracts for peaches totaling more than $550 million.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reckoning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reckoning
Noun
-
Complicating any assessment of the incident is the lack of images of bomb fragments from the blast.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Their assessment places the probability below 50 percent.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Achieving a true quantum advantage in chemistry will likely require breakthroughs in both hardware and algorithms before quantum computers can surpass classical machines on these fundamental molecular calculations.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
-
That ticking clock is where the Republican silence on tariffs transforms from a tactical calculation into a potential strategic catastrophe.—
Jay Caruso,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That report said that models differ by 10% to 20% in estimating the size of that carbon sink, raising questions about the accuracy of global climate projections that rely on them.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The use of fossil fuels has been a point of contention, specifically, due to environmental concerns and an increase in carbon emissions, with some studies estimating that by 2030, data centers will emit 24 to 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.—
Neil Strebig,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Deschanel’s review tapped into something a lot of people had been thinking but hadn’t articulated publicly.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Elward said Traynere was using the email to gain a political advantage and learn what members of the opposing party were thinking.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Worry not; for better or worse, this game of chance requires minimal calculating on your part.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The man Cameron thought was a patriot, now seemed like a calculating conman.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Understanding past oil shocks is important, but relying on them too heavily can encourage the wrong conclusion — that we are either headed for a 1979-style crisis or that the economic consequences will be negligible.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Hernandez is a throwback player in many ways, relying on a mid-range game of pull-up jumpers and fadeaways.—
Dan Arritt,
Oc Register,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In an effort to allay whipsawing energy markets, Western powers are considering an International Energy Agency proposal for the largest-ever release of oil reserves.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
As a result, Chandra is good for a lot of things, but its limitations matter when considering those big questions above.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In addition to the raw numbers, the county calculated deaths per 100,000 using an average of the 2024 and 2025 estimates from the annual point-in-time count conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Based on those figures, a facility holding up to 10,000 detainees could cost hundreds of millions of dollars annually to operate, according to estimates shared at the event.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reckoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reckoning. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
