reckon

[ rek-uhn ]

/ ˈrɛk ən /

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See synonyms for: reckon / reckoned / reckoning on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to count, compute, or calculate, as in number or amount.

to esteem or consider; regard as: to be reckoned an authority in the field.

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. to think or suppose.

verb (used without object)

to count; make a computation or calculation.

to settle accounts, as with a person (often followed by up).

to count, depend, or rely, as in expectation (often followed by on).

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. to think or suppose.

Verb Phrases

reckon with,

to include in consideration or planning; anticipate: He hadn't reckoned with so many obstacles.
to deal with: I have to reckon with many problems every day.

OTHER WORDS FOR reckon

1 enumerate.

2 account, deem, estimate, judge.

See synonyms for reckon on Thesaurus.com

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ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

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True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

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Origin of reckon

before 1000; Middle English rekenen,Old English gerecenian (attested once) to report, pay; cognate with German rechnen to compute

OTHER WORDS FROM reckon

reck·on·a·ble, adjectiveoutreckon, verb (used with object)pre·reck·on, verb (used with object)un·der·reck·on, verb (used with object)

un·reck·on, verb (used with object)un·reck·on·a·ble, adjectiveun·reck·oned, adjective

Words nearby reckon

reckless, reckless abandon, reckless abandonment, recklessly, Recklinghausen, reckon, reckoner, reckoning, reckon with, reclaim, reclaimant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use reckon in a sentence

The coronavirus pandemic is the scourge that keeps on whipping—and its latest punishment is likely to be felt in dozens of states and municipalities across the United States as governments reckon with a massive and sudden loss of revenue.
COVID-19 has another long-term side effect: A shrinking tax base|cleaf2013|August 31, 2020|Fortune
Fitzpatrick reckoned that global macro accounted for about a tenth of the hedge fund industry’s assets a decade ago, but that had now slipped to 6 percent.
Hedge Fund ‘Pirates’ Set Sail Again|Daniel Malloy|August 21, 2020|Ozy
In the century since women’s suffrage, women have transformed our politics — in particular, they’ve become a force to be reckoned with inside the Democratic Party.
Women Won The Right To Vote 100 Years Ago. They Didn’t Start Voting Differently From Men Until 1980.|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|August 19, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
So maybe the higher expectations that we have for what we hope for in life earlier, that accounts for why we’re downward sloping until a certain point, and then we reckon with what’s possible.
Introducing “No Stupid Questions” (Ep. 422)|Stephen J. Dubner|June 18, 2020|Freakonomics

So it’s impossible for me to reckon that he wouldn’t have thought through the consequences of aggregating that power, through the use of executive orders and sole executive action and so on.
Does the President Matter as Much as You Think? (Ep. 404)|Stephen J. Dubner|February 6, 2020|Freakonomics
Either way, we Americans have plenty to answer for and reckon with.
The Media's Pro-Torture Cheerleaders|Jedediah Purdy|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They were holding too many meetings, he realized, descending into politics instead of ascending to reckon with Flagg.
McConaughey’s ‘Stand’—And Ours|James Poulos|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The more specific they get, marketers reckon, the more likely you are to buy.
Sexism Begins in the Toy Aisle|Nancy Kaffer|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the failure to reckon with that question will make the injustice of paying dues for partisan speech look like a minor detail.
The Conservative Case for Unions After the Harris v. Quinn Decision|James Poulos|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Until we reckon with our compounding moral debts, America will never be whole.
The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, May 24, 2014|The Daily Beast|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Whenever it comes day, we got all the best uh things—though I don't reckon we'll have a walkaway.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
But I reckon we'll have to take these two carcasses along as a sort of corroborative evidence.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
You may put on as many fines as you please, Mr. Judge, but by —— there's a difference between imposing and collecting, I reckon.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
They've both dropped down out of sight now—I reckon I won't spoil sport—shouldn't like it myself.
Dorothy at Skyrie|Evelyn Raymond
Hilsea Green we used to reckon the coldest spot between Portsmouth and London.
The Portsmouth Road and Its Tributaries|Charles G. Harper

British Dictionary definitions for reckon

reckon

/ (ˈrɛkən) /

verb

to calculate or ascertain by calculating; compute

(tr) to include; count as part of a set or classI reckon her with the angels

(usually passive) to consider or regardhe is reckoned clever

(when tr, takes a clause as object) to think or suppose; be of the opinionI reckon you don't know where to go next

(intr foll by with) to settle accounts (with)

(intr ; foll by with or without) to take into account or fail to take into accountthe bully reckoned without John's big brother

(intr ; foll by on or upon) to rely or dependI reckon on your support in this crisis

(tr) slang to regard as goodI don't reckon your chances of success

(tr) informal to have a high opinion ofshe was sensitive to bad reviews, even from people she did not reckon

to be reckoned with of considerable importance or influence

Word Origin for reckon

Old English (ge) recenian recount; related to Old Frisian rekenia, Old High German rehhanón to count

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with reckon

reckon

In addition to the idiom beginning with reckon

reckon with

also see:

force to be reckoned with

reckon

OTHER WORDS FOR reckon

Origin of reckon

OTHER WORDS FROM reckon

Words nearby reckon

Words related to reckon

How to use reckon in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reckon

Word Origin for reckon

Other Idioms and Phrases with reckon