discount

American  

[dis-kount, dis-kount, dis-kount] / ˈdɪs kaʊnt, dɪsˈkaʊnt, ˈdɪs kaʊnt /

verb (used with object)

• discounts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• discounted,
  past participle,  past
• discounting
  present participle

1. to deduct a certain amount from (a bill, charge, etc.).

   All bills that are paid promptly will be discounted at two percent.

2. to offer for sale or sell at a reduced price.

   The store discounted all clothing for the sale.

3. to advance or lend money with deduction of interest on (commercial paper not immediately payable).

4. to purchase or sell (a bill or note) before maturity at a reduction based on the interest for the time it still has to run.

5. to leave out of account; disregard.

   Even if we discount the irrelevant material, the thesis remains mediocre.

6. to allow for exaggeration in (a statement, opinion, etc.).

   Knowing his political bias they discounted most of his story.

7. to take into account in advance, often so as to diminish the effect of.

   They had discounted the effect of a decline in the stock market.

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verb (used without object)

• discounts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• discounted,
  past participle,  past
• discounting
  present participle

1. to advance or lend money after deduction of interest.

2. to offer goods or services at a reduced price.

noun

• discounts
  plural

1. the act or an instance of discounting.

2. an amount deducted from the usual list price.

3. any deduction from the nominal value.

4. a payment of interest in advance upon a loan of money.

5. the amount of interest obtained by one who discounts.

6. an allowance made for exaggeration or bias, as in a report, story, etc..

   Even after all the discounts are taken, his story sounds phony.

adjective

1. selling or offered at less than the usual or established price.

   discount theater tickets.

2. selling goods at a discount.

   a discount drugstore.

idioms

1. at a discount,

   1. Commerce. below par.

   2. below the usual list price.

   3. in low esteem or regard.

      His excuses were taken at a discount by all who knew him.

   4. not in demand; unwanted.

      Such ancient superstitions are at a discount in a civilized society.

discount British  

verb

1. to leave out of account as being unreliable, prejudiced, or irrelevant

2. to anticipate and make allowance for, often so as to diminish the effect of

3. 1. to deduct (a specified amount or percentage) from the usual price, cost, etc

   2. to reduce (the regular price, cost, etc) by a stated percentage or amount

4. to sell or offer for sale at a reduced price

5. to buy or sell (a bill of exchange, etc) before maturity, with a deduction for interest determined by the time to maturity and also by risk

6. (also intr) to loan money on (a negotiable instrument that is not immediately payable) with a deduction for interest determined by risk and time to maturity

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noun

1. a deduction from the full amount of a price or debt, as in return for prompt payment or to a special group of customers See also cash discount trade discount

2. Also called: discount rate. 

   1. the amount of interest deducted in the purchase or sale of or the loan of money on unmatured negotiable instruments

   2. the rate of interest deducted

3. 1. (in the issue of shares) a percentage deducted from the par value to give a reduced amount payable by subscribers

   2. the amount by which the par value of something, esp shares, exceeds its market value Compare premium

4. the act or an instance of discounting a negotiable instrument

5. 1. below the regular price

   2. (of share values) below par

   3. held in low regard; not sought after or valued

6. (modifier) offering or selling at reduced prices

   a discount shop

discount More Idioms  

1. see at a discount.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• discounter
  noun
• prediscount
  noun
• superdiscount
  noun
• overdiscount
  verb (used with object)
• discountable
  adjective
• nondiscount
  adjective
• nondiscountable
  adjective
• nondiscounted
  adjective
• prediscountable
  adjective
• undiscountable
  adjective
• undiscounted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• discounts
  plural

Participles

• discounting
  present
• discounted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• discount
  simple
• discounts
  simple
• have discounted
  perfect
• has discounted
  perfect
• am discounting
  progressive
• are discounting
  progressive
• is discounting
  progressive
• have been discounting
  perfect progressive
• has been discounting
  perfect progressive

Past

• discounted
  simple
• had discounted
  perfect
• was discounting
  progressive
• were discounting
  progressive
• had been discounting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will discount
  simple
• will have discounted
  perfect
• will be discounting
  progressive
• will have been discounting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of discount

First recorded in 1615–25; dis- ¹ + count ¹, modeled on French décompter, Old French desconter, from Medieval Latin discomputāre

Explanation

The noun discount refers to an amount or percentage deducted from the normal selling price of something. If you wait until after the holiday, you can often buy goods at a steep discount — just make sure you need all that stuff. The noun discount means a reduction in price of a good or service. You can ask the manager for a discount if the item is damaged. As a verb, discount means to reduce the price. The manager can discount the item for you. The verb discount also means to disregard, underestimate, or dismiss. If you are a teenager, people will often discount your opinion — but you should keep expressing it because eventually people will listen!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

discount discounts discounted discounting

Customs officials said the site discovered in this industrial zone -- tucked away at the far end of a discount store parking lot -- was of "standard size."

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

The final sale price represents a staggering $5.3 million discount from the $10.95 million Behar originally sought when she first put the historic home on the market in late 2024.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

If you would like to subscribe to Slate Plus and the many riches it offers, use promo code SURGE25 at checkout for a 25 percent discount on a full-year subscription.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

She gave aura but also advice about where to find discount shoes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

There are Jamaican jerk restaurants, bulletproofed Chinese restaurants, bulletproofed liquor stores, discount clothing stores, and beauty salons.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

These discounts show that Wall Street continues to be skeptical about the oil price boom—so far to its cost.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

But the balance is delicate: Lean too hard on discounts and Jersey Mike’s risks following Subway’s path, eroding the premium positioning that makes its model work in the first place.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Nando's uses a chilli system for its loyalty programme, while other schemes such as Tastecard offer discounts at hundreds of eat-in and takeaway venues in exchange for an annual fee.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

Mobile-communications-service prices jumped 27% from a year earlier, largely due to a low comparison base after domestic mobile carriers offered fee discounts in 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

I’m trying to negotiate a 20 percent price reduction with the fitting room lady when—rotten luck!—Howard shows up and announces that there are no reductions and no employee discounts on clearanced items.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Some analysts have been sanguine about the risk, assuming that anticipated higher rates are already discounted by asset prices.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026

Creators building out their own space can pick up a discounted soundstage as a result, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

The government-backed website launched earlier this year to connect Americans with discounted prescription drugs.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

At every turn, Ward credited the state’s expert testimony and discounted the testimony of defense witnesses and experts.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

Foragers discounted the future because they lived from hand to mouth and could only preserve food or accumulate possessions with difficulty.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

The bank’s survey found 42% of those polled expect a more dovish tone, in line with ING’s thinking, than the bond markets are currently discounting.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

Columbia House drew further claims of bad business by allegedly refusing to acknowledge payments, discounting items so that users’ purchases fell just below the agreed-upon threshold and being a notoriously difficult subscription to terminate.

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026

In Premier League terms, even when discounting the gulf in experience, Pickford boasts an undeniable edge.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

“If demand moderates even at the margin, or if supply is added back too quickly, the old addiction to fare sales and discounting could return.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Indeed, it is the same figure provided by Las Casas, patron saint of High Counters, foremost among the old Spanish sources whose estimates Henige spends many pages discounting.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• disregard
• doubt
• forget
• minimize
• neglect
• omit
• overlook
• reject