mount

¹ American  

[maunt] / maʊnt /

verb (used with object)

• mounts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• mounted,
  past participle,  past
• mounting
  present participle

1. to go up; climb; ascend.

   to mount stairs.

   Synonyms:

   scale

   Antonyms:

   descend

2. to get up on (a platform, a horse, etc.).

3. to set or place at an elevation.

   to mount a house on stilts.

4. to furnish with a horse or other animal for riding.

5. to set or place (a person) on horseback.

6. to organize, as an army.

7. to prepare and launch, as an attack or a campaign.

8. to raise or put into position for use, as a gun.

9. (of a fortress or warship) to have or carry (guns) in position for use.

10. to go or put on guard, as a sentry or watch.

11. to attach to or fix on or in a support, backing, setting, etc..

    to mount a photograph; to mount a diamond in a ring.

12. to arrange for display.

    to mount a museum exhibit.

13. to provide (a play, musical comedy, opera, etc.) with scenery, costumes, and other equipment for production.

14. to prepare (an animal body or skeleton) as a specimen.

15. (of a male animal) to climb upon (a female) for copulation.

16. Microscopy.

    1. to prepare (a slide) for microscopic investigation.

    2. to prepare (a sample) for examination by a microscope, as by placing it on a slide.

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verb (used without object)

• mounts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• mounted,
  past participle,  past
• mounting
  present participle

1. to increase in amount or intensity (often followed byup ).

   The cost of all those small purchases mounts up.

2. to get up on the back of a horse or other animal for riding.

3. to rise or go to a higher position, level, degree, etc.; ascend.

   Synonyms:

   soar

4. to get up on something, as a platform.

noun

1. the act or a manner of mounting.

2. a horse, other animal, or sometimes a vehicle, as a bicycle, used, provided, or available for riding.

   Synonyms:

   palfrey, charger, steed, horse

3. an act or occasion of riding a horse, especially in a race.

4. a support, backing, setting, or the like, on or in which something is, or is to be, mounted or fixed.

5. an ornamental metal piece applied to a piece of wooden furniture.

6. Microscopy. a prepared slide.

7. a distinctive metal feature on a sheath or scabbard, as a locket or chape.

8. Philately. hinge.

9. Printing. a wooden or metal block to which a plate is secured for printing.

mount ² American  

[maunt] / maʊnt /

noun

Chiefly Literary.

1. a mountain: often used as part of a placename.

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mount ¹ British  

/ maʊnt /

verb

1. to go up (a hill, stairs, etc); climb

2. to get up on (a horse, a platform, etc)

3. io increase; accumulate

   excitement mounted

4. (tr) to fix onto a backing, setting, or support

   to mount a photograph

   to mount a slide

5. (tr) to provide with a horse for riding, or to place on a horse

6. (of male animals) to climb onto (a female animal) for copulation

7. (tr) to prepare (a play, musical comedy, etc) for production

8. (tr) to plan and organize (a compaign, an exhibition, etc)

9. (tr) military to prepare or launch (an operation)

   the Allies mounted an offensive

10. (tr) to prepare (a skeleton, dead animal, etc) for exhibition as a specimen

11. (tr) to place or carry (weapons) in such a position that they can be fired

12. See guard

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noun

1. a backing, setting, or support onto which something is fixed

2. the act or manner of mounting

3. a horse for riding

4. a slide used in microscopy

5. philately

   1. a small transparent pocket in an album for a postage stamp

   2. another word for hinge

mount ² British  

/ maʊnt /

noun

1. a mountain or hill: used in literature and (when cap.) in proper names

   Mount Everest

2. (in palmistry) any of the seven cushions of flesh on the palm of the hand

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Synonym Usage

See climb.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mounter
  noun
• mountable
  adjective
• mountless
  adjective
• unmountable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• mounting
  present
• mounted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• mount
  simple
• mounts
  simple
• have mounted
  perfect
• has mounted
  perfect
• am mounting
  progressive
• are mounting
  progressive
• is mounting
  progressive
• have been mounting
  perfect progressive
• has been mounting
  perfect progressive

Past

• mounted
  simple
• had mounted
  perfect
• was mounting
  progressive
• were mounting
  progressive
• had been mounting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will mount
  simple
• will have mounted
  perfect
• will be mounting
  progressive
• will have been mounting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of mount¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English mounten, from Old French munter, monter, Vulgar Latin (unattested) montāre, derivative of Latin mont- (stem of mōns ) mount ²

Origin of mount²

First recorded before 900; Middle English mount(e), mont, munt(e), Old English munt “mount, hill, mountain,” from Latin mont- (inflectional stem of mōns ) “mountain, hill”

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Explanation

To mount is to climb up something, like a ladder, or get on the back of something, like a horse. You can also mount something on another object, like a camera on a tripod or a sticker on a notebook. The word mountain can help you remember that one way to mount is to climb. You can mount a mountain or a flight of stairs. You can also mount a pony by getting on its back or a bicycle by climbing onto it. The oldest meaning of mount is, in fact, "mountain," from the Old French word mont, which has its root in the Latin montem for “mountain."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mount mounts mounted mounting

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde on Wednesday urged the eurozone to adapt faster to climate change as the economic costs mount, after a summer of punishing heatwaves.

From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026

As pocketbook concerns dominate the conversation, climate change gets little attention, although it lurks in the background as worries mount about the cost of insurance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

If competition among AI companies intensifies, watch for financial pressure on Anthropic to mount.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

Alias's frustration appears to mount with each attempt.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

Then we started on again, and outside the town the road commenced to mount.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

Apple is closing in on a major milestone as excitement mounts for the company’s new iPhones and artificial-intelligence strategy.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

As anger mounts, Barrow has promised the electricity situation will improve by the end of October.

From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026

What do you do when a creative team mounts an acclaimed production of a beloved play, breaking box office records as one of the most successful shows in your theater’s more than 100-year history?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

The paragliders, which have a range of up to 200 miles, can carry body armour, night vision equipment and weapon mounts.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Tialys and Salmakia gathered themselves and soothed their shaken mounts.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Unconfirmed reports suggest the vehicle mounted the pavement, hit a bus stop shelter and then struck scaffolding.

From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026

Eva and her husband use every part of the carcasses, even the heads, which are displayed like a “grotesque gallery” of mounted trophies in a Victorian gentleman’s club.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

The son of one of Malaysia's founding fathers, Najib was groomed for leadership from a young age but fell from power spectacularly as public anger mounted over the corruption scandal.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

As the value of wool is reduced to almost nothing, Eva and her husband test the market for tanned sheepskins, mounted rams’ heads and a turnip-based alcoholic drink.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

I freshened myself up, mounted Plug, and headed to Wolf Point.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

Now questions about the timing and the lofty valuation are mounting.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 9, 2026

The company is splitting its drugstore and insurance businesses amid mounting regulatory pressure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

But they face mounting pressure to balance the state budget, usher in more government efficiency, build homes and solve affordability, figure out wildfire liability and regulate AI.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

It's also giving the region's governments a different kind of headache - split between the mounting frustrations of their citizens and the risk of souring diplomatic ties with Indonesia.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

Of course we had to make our own way, just like Jules and Aileen—the four of us, outcasts mounting our own private and necessary revolution.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

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