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Synonyms

down for the count

Idioms  

  1. Defeated, finished, doomed, as in I doubt if he'll ever leave the hospital; his illness really has him down for the count. This expression alludes to the losing boxer, unable to get to his feet before the umpire has counted to ten (the count). [1920s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He continued: "I don't think we need any action. Looks like it's going down. It's going down for the count."

From BBC • Jan. 5, 2026

Orange County firefighters came to the rescue when a 20-year-old mule named Eli appeared down for the count.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2025

After more than a decade, the Kraken Bar & Lounge in Seattle is closing down — but the beloved pirate-themed punk bar isn’t down for the count as it seeks a new home.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 23, 2023

Lest you think I’m being paranoid about one of them missing the vote because they are out sick, consider that several senators are currently down for the count.

From Slate • Jul. 28, 2022

She stumbled, and he snaked an arm around her back to make sure she didn’t go down for the count.

From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau

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.