reckon

American  

[rek-uhn] / ˈrɛk ən /

verb (used with object)

reckons, present (3rd person singular) reckoned, past participle, past reckoning present participle

1. to count, compute, or calculate, as in number or amount.

   Synonyms:

   enumerate

2. to esteem or consider; regard as.

   to be reckoned an authority in the field.

   Synonyms:

   judge, estimate, deem, account

3. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. to think or suppose.

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verb (used without object)

reckons, present (3rd person singular) reckoned, past participle, past reckoning present participle

1. to count; make a computation or calculation.

2. to settle accounts, as with a person (often followed byup ).

3. to count, depend, or rely, as in expectation (often followed byon ).

4. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. to think or suppose.

verb phrase

1. reckon with

   1. to include in consideration or planning; anticipate.

      He hadn't reckoned with so many obstacles.

   2. to deal with.

      I have to reckon with many problems every day.

reckon British  

/ ˈrɛkən /

verb

1. to calculate or ascertain by calculating; compute

2. (tr) to include; count as part of a set or class

   I reckon her with the angels

3. (usually passive) to consider or regard

   he is reckoned clever

4. (when tr, takes a clause as object) to think or suppose; be of the opinion

   I reckon you don't know where to go next

5. to settle accounts (with)

6. (intr; foll by with or without) to take into account or fail to take into account

   the bully reckoned without John's big brother

7. (intr; foll by on or upon) to rely or depend

   I reckon on your support in this crisis

8. slang (tr) to regard as good

   I don't reckon your chances of success

9. informal (tr) to have a high opinion of

   she was sensitive to bad reviews, even from people she did not reckon

10. of considerable importance or influence

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reckon Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing reckon

• force to be reckoned with

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unreckon
  verb (used with object)
• prereckon
  verb (used with object)
• unreckoned
  adjective
• reckonable
  adjective
• unreckonable
  adjective
• outreckon
  verb (used with object)
• underreckon
  verb (used with object)

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have reckoned
  perfect
• has reckoned
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has been reckoning
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is reckoning
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am reckoning
  progressive 1st person singular
• reckons
  singular 3rd person
• have been reckoning
  perfect progressive
• are reckoning
  progressive
• reckoning
  participle

Past

• had reckoned
  perfect
• were reckoning
  progressive plural
• had been reckoning
  perfect progressive
• was reckoning
  progressive singular
• reckoned
  simple
• reckoned
  participle

Future

• will reckon
  simple
• will have reckoned
  perfect
• will have been reckoning
  perfect progressive
• will be reckoning
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of reckon

First recorded before 1000; Middle English rekenen, Old English gerecenian “to report, pay”; cognate with German rechnen “to compute”

Explanation

Reckon means "guess" or "imagine," and is often used by rural types in Hollywood movies who say things like "I reckon I'll be moseyin' on." Reckon also means "suppose" or "think," as in "I reckon he's put his nose where it don't belong one too many times." If reckon sounds odd, that’s because it's mostly gone out of style. When used to talk about prediction, it's a little more common, as in "Who do you reckon is going to win the Super Bowl?" Still, it sounds a little old-fashioned. Many people use the word just for fun. Saying "I reckon" sounds more humorous than "Yes."

Example Sentences

“We reckon the next support is at $4,000,” he told clients in a note on Sunday.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

“Football’s all of a sudden starting to reckon with the new climate realities,” said Elliot Arthur-Worsop, founding director of Football For Future, a pioneering U.K. nonprofit and co-publisher of “Pitches in Peril.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

This Pride Month, we are calling on Christian communities to reckon with what their tradition actually says.

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026

However, some on Wall Street reckon the AI trade will resume sooner or later.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

Then she asked, “Will, is they any more room in Mr. Blakeslee’s cemetery plot? Besides for him, I mean? You reckon they’s room for this Miss Love in there with him and Miss Mattie Lou?”

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Related Words

• calculate
• look upon
• take account of