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

I get it with discount airlines, but British Airways charges for soda.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

“For SaaS-era unicorns that raised at 2021 peaks, the exit path has narrowed: Strategic M&A at a discount is increasingly the realistic alternative,” Tunguz said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

“Despite this improving outlook, healthcare continues to trade at a meaningful discount to the broader market,” they added.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

Despite outperforming peers, the shares still trade at a discount.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

"As a scientist and a physician I'm forced to discount that," he said.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Sector-wise, retail trade lost 19,000 jobs, with employment declining in warehouse retailers -- firms like Costco, Sam's Club and others that offer discounts for wholesale quantities of household goods -- and general merchandise stores.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

She felt tempted by the constant emails from brands and didn’t want to lose out on discounts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Compared with public bonds of similar borrowers, private credit is harder to sell without significant discounts and more difficult to value without prices reported on daily trades.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

One luxury hotel in Simeiz –- whose managers did not wish to be named –- said it was offering 30 per cent discounts to bring the tourists back.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

He and my dad used to talk about football and he gave us discounts for years.

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Kris pops in a disc of “Camp Miasma’s” tawdry 2008 reboot, which cinematographer Eric Yue makes look as flat as the discounted DVD.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Statistics for the new Bronx K-12 aren’t collected, but Success Academy projects about 91% of students will be black, Hispanic or multiracial, and 90% will qualify for free or discounted lunch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

The FBI’s Phoenix office said some ransom notes relating to the February disappearance of Nancy Guthrie were potentially “legitimate,” while others have been discounted as “extortion attempts.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Would you live in a disused care home, pub or bank in exchange for a heavily discounted rent?

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

In a second phase of the experiment, the researchers added a twist: Would the value of information be discounted even further—be even more urgent—depending on who it was from?

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

So far, that hasn’t led to significant discounting, at least in direct-to-consumer sales.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

McDonald’s executives conceded on Tuesday that recent discounting initiatives haven’t always worked out and have even turned away some of the restaurant’s biggest fans.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 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

Nicole took the first lead, and it went smoothly for the first ten minutes, discounting the wind, the stinging rain, and Chase’s throbbing front tooth, which the pain pills had done nothing to help.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

Related Words

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