countdown

American  

[kount-doun] / ˈkaʊntˌdaʊn /

noun

countdowns plural

1. the backward counting in fixed time units from the initiation of a project, as a rocket launching, with the moment of firing designated as zero.

2. the final preparations made during this period.

3. a period of increasing activity, tension, or anxiety, as before a deadline.

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countdown British  

/ ˈkaʊntˌdaʊn /

noun

1. the act of counting backwards to time a critical operation exactly, such as the launching of a rocket or the detonation of explosives

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verb

1. to count numbers backwards towards zero, esp in timing such a critical operation

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• countdowns
  plural

Etymology

Origin of countdown

1950–55, noun use of verb phrase count down

Explanation

When you list a sequence of numbers in reverse order, ending in zero, that's a countdown. When you're preparing to launch your model rocket, you can make it more exciting with a countdown! "Five, four, three, two, one, blast off!" is a countdown that may sound familiar if you've ever watched footage of a NASA space shuttle launch. You might also hear a countdown on New Year's Eve, as revelers count down the seconds until midnight and the beginning of a new year. This word comes from American English, first appearing in the 1950s in the context of rocket launches.

Example Sentences

If a referee thinks a player is wasting time, the hand goes in the air and the countdown starts.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

The countdown to insolvency is accelerating — and the rules of retirement planning just broke.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026

When the intermission’s countdown clock reversed itself, climbing back up to “21:12,” the numbers turned red and the crowd exploded.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

I happen to live and work in Melbourne, Fla. Our area code is 321 — like a countdown.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

“Oh. But I am giving you a countdown, ’cause that’s classy.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray