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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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

The combination of pretax savings at a higher tax bracket and a tax bill at a lower tax bracket sets up what Chancey called “a discount Roth conversion.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

The discount tags have been placed, carefully it seems to me, directly over the Taylor Farms logo, giving the display the slightly furtive quality of merchandise that has recently acquired an unfortunate reputation.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

When I asked what had brought her to the Trump Superstore, aside from the 50 percent discount, she lit a cigarette.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

Its 22% discount was one of the widest of any U.S. closed-end fund that invested in public securities, according to the fund’s semiannual report.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

He was a salesman at the big discount office furniture store off 108th Street.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Groupon, best known for its deep discounts on local services from meals to manicures, is finding traction with a whole new audience thanks to its blind deals on vacations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

An assessment earlier this year estimated that between 120,000 and 160,000 households could eventually receive the discounts as more projects are rolled out.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Additional automakers are preparing to launch discounts soon, including Ford, Rivian, Chevrolet and Kia later this month; Toyota, Honda and Subaru in September; and Mitsubishi in November.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

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

They entered all the contests, availed themselves of all the discounts that were advertised and had, on two occasions, won a T-shirt and a thermos flask that Baby Kochamma kept locked away in her cupboard.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Jodanna Bevan bought the toys from Shein for her children after seeing them discounted.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

An evacuation shelter was opened at Carmel Middle School on Monday evening, and regional hotels are offering discounted rates to evacuees.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

The hospitals can provide the care free of charge or at discounted rates through financial assistance, or try to charge patients.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Restaurant chains have discounted aggressively to get those customers back.

From MarketWatch ● 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

The new fare options allow airlines to offer more choice to consumers without discounting their premium fares.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

If policymakers issue a forecast, they start crediting evidence that confirms it and discounting evidence that doesn’t.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

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

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Nike’s digital business and its stores in China have struggled, and it has tried to refashion those segments into destinations for higher-priced fare, rather than discounting.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

It is true, perhaps, that I feel some trifling dislike of deer, but no more dislike than I feel for other natural things— discounting men.

From "Grendel" by John Gardner

Related Words

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