An Americanism first recorded in 1970–75
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The current CEO is a bean counter who does not seem to understand the complexity of the process and doesn’t live in Washington state, where the bulk of the work is still done.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 2024
Mr. Glassman might be an effective bean counter, but that is not nearly enough to justify his having a seat on the Maryland Board of Public Works.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 21, 2022
It would not bother me in the least to give my niece the higher amount, because I’m not a bean counter.
From Slate ● May 26, 2021
There no bean counter with a backbone stiff enough to hold the reins.
From Washington Times ● May 23, 2019
Sorrento is an autocratic bean counter, a would-be master of the universe who doesn’t even like video games.
From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2018
Mr Taylor, who is now chief operating officer at Loughborough University, was also shown as a "devious, weasel-like person" and a "suited bean-counter", Mr Bennett told the court.
From BBC ● Feb. 29, 2024
It’s such a bean-counter, studio exec note: “What’s the comp for that?”
From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2022
League bean-counter, penciling out the unsportsmanlike-conduct tally: “Two bits, four bits, six bits … $12,875.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 28, 2022
It makes sense all the same, at least from a bean-counter point of view.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 27, 2017
Chad Hardeman: I assume the firm will have to bring in a bean-counter type to perform Lane's CFO functions.
From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2012
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.
