reckoning
Americannoun
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count; computation; calculation.
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the settlement of accounts, as between two companies.
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a statement of an amount due; bill.
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an accounting, as for things received or done.
- Synonyms:
- retribution, judgment
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an appraisal or judgment.
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Navigation. dead reckoning.
noun
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the act of counting or calculating
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settlement of an account or bill
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a bill or account
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retribution for one's actions (esp in the phrase day of reckoning )
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nautical short for dead reckoning
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reckoning
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; reckon + -ing 1
Explanation
A reckoning is a calculation or number you estimate. You might say, "By my reckoning, there are now seventeen kids in the bouncy house, which might be a few too many." The act of counting or tallying can be called a reckoning, and so can a person's opinion on something. You could describe an ancient astronomer's reckoning that the Earth was at the center of the universe or your own reckoning that guests should never stay more than three days. And if you and your estranged sister have a reckoning, it means you finally get together and hold each other accountable for past actions.
Vocabulary lists containing reckoning
Fahrenheit 451
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The Cay
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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.
That excess supply is now dwindling at a record pace, with oil executives and analysts predicting that a harsh reckoning is set to upend the relative calm in energy markets.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Social media giants are facing a global reckoning as governments increasingly worry about their impact on users' wellbeing.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
The father-son reckoning, long postponed, can’t deter the play’s tragic course.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
Lyrically, Kahan is reckoning with his newfound fame – without recycling hoary old clichés where "every hotel room looks the same" and "nobody understands the real me".
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
At last, by Seaborg’s reckoning, they had one quarter of a millionth of a gram of element 94.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
