countless
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of countless
Explanation
Countless means more than you could possibly count. If you have countless reasons why you love living in New York, there are so many reasons that you can't list them all. Countless is a good adjective to use when you want to emphasize how endless, huge, or immeasurable something is. Your could say that smoke detectors save countless lives each year, or that your principal has tried countless times to ban soda at school, only to be outvoted by the student council over and over. The word dates from the 16th century, from the verb count, with its Old French root, conter, "add up."
Vocabulary lists containing countless
Much Ado: Synonyms for "Many"
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 6
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"Dogs at Work"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She did this countless times across her decades of unwavering support for the queer community, softening and sharpening her humor according to the severity of whatever topic she waded into.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
The books have reached countless families in east Tennessee, where hospitals often invite new parents into the program.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
In some ways, buybacks are simply one of countless government policies, such as changes to taxes or spending, that the Fed has to take into account when setting interest rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Laura's effort involved countless early mornings and weekends away, remote routes, wild camping, and hiking in every kind of weather imaginable.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
That day, Bobby was not the old curmudgeonly Bobby: He was gracious, humorous, and willing to sign countless autographs.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.