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score

[ skawr, skohr ]

/ skɔr, skoʊr /

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See synonyms for: score / scored / scores / scoring on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural scores, score for 11.

the record of points or strokes made by the competitors in a game or match.

the total points or strokes made by one side, individual, play, game, etc.

an act or instance of making or earning a point or points.

Education, Psychology. the performance of an individual or sometimes of a group on an examination or test, expressed by a number, letter, or other symbol.

a notch, scratch, or incision; a stroke or line.

a notch or mark for keeping an account or record.

a reckoning or account so kept; tally.

any account showing indebtedness.

an amount recorded as due.

a line drawn as a boundary, the starting point of a race, a goal line, etc.

a group or set of 20: about a score of years ago.

scores, a great many: Scores of people were at the dance.

a reason, ground, or cause: to complain on the score of low pay.

Informal.

the basic facts, point of progress, etc., regarding a situation: What's the score on Saturday's picnic?
a successful move, remark, etc.

Music.

a written or printed piece of music with all the vocal and instrumental parts arranged on staves, one under the other.
the music itself.
the music played as background to or part of a movie, play, or television presentation.

Slang.

a success in finding a willing sexual partner; sexual conquest.
a purchase or acquisition of illicit drugs, as heroin or cocaine.
a single payoff obtained through graft by a police officer, especially from a narcotics violator.
a successful robbery; theft.
any success, triumph, happy acquisition, gift, or win.
the victim of a robbery or swindle.

verb (used with object), scored, scor·ing.

to gain for addition to one's score in a game or match.

to make a score of: He scored 98 on the test.

to have as a specified value in points: Four aces score 100.

Education, Psychology. to evaluate the responses a person has made on (a test or an examination).

Music.

to orchestrate.
to write out in score.
to compose the music for (a movie, play, television show, etc.)

Cooking. to cut ridges or lines into (meat, fish, etc.) with shallow slashes, usually in a diamond pattern, before cooking.

to make notches, cuts, marks, or lines in or on.

to record or keep a record of (points, items, etc.), by or as if by notches, marks, etc.; tally; reckon (often followed by up).

to write down as a debt.

to record as a debtor.

to gain, achieve, or win: The play scored a great success.

Slang.

to obtain (a drug) illicitly.
to steal.
to acquire; be given.

to berate or censure: The newspapers scored the mayor severely for the announcement.

to crease (paper or cardboard) so that it can be folded easily and without damage.

verb (used without object), scored, scor·ing.

to make a point or points in a game or contest.

to keep score, as of a game.

to achieve an advantage or a success: The new product scored with the public.

to make notches, cuts, lines, etc.

to run up a score or debt.

Slang.

to succeed in finding a willing sexual partner; have sexual intercourse.
to purchase or obtain drugs illicitly.
to elicit and accept a bribe.

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Idioms about score

pay off / settle a score, to avenge a wrong; retaliate: In the Old West they paid off a score with bullets.

Origin of score

First recorded before 1100; Middle English; late Old English noun scora, score (plural; unattested singular scoru ) “group of twenty” (apparently originally “notch”), from Old Norse skor “notch”; Middle English verb scoren “to incise, mark with lines, tally debts,” from Old Norse skora “to notch, count by tallies”; later verb senses derivative of the noun; akin to shear

OTHER WORDS FROM score

scoreless, adjectivescorer, nounnon·scor·ing, adjectiveoutscore, verb (used with object), out·scored, out·scor·ing.

re·score, verb, re·scored, re·scor·ing.un·scored, adjectiveun·scor·ing, adjectivewell-scored, adjective

Words nearby score

scorch, scorched-earth policy, scorcher, scorching, scordatura, score, scoreboard, scorecard, score draw, scorekeeper, score off

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

MORE ABOUT SCORE

What is a basic definition of score?

A score is the tally of points that have been earned by competitors in a game. To score is to add points to this tally during a game. Score also refers to a set of 20 items. Score has many other senses, both as a noun and a verb.

The score of a game or competition is the record of how many points have been earned during the game. A game in which no points are gained at all is referred to as scoreless.

Real-life examples: France won the final match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup against Croatia with a score of 4-2. In 2020, the final score of Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers was 31-20.

Used in a sentence: I volunteered to keep track of the score of the children’s baseball game.

Related to this sense, score means to gain points or otherwise add to a person’s or team’s score during a game. A player that gains points is called a scorer. The person who keeps track of the score is also called a scorer, or more frequently a scorekeeper. A player, team, or maneuver that doesn’t gain any points is referred to as nonscoring.

Real-life examples: Soccer players score goals. Basketball players score baskets. Football players score touchdowns.

Used in a sentence: She scored 50 points by hitting the bullseye.

Score is also a group or set of 20 items.

Real-life examples: Abraham Lincoln famously said that America was founded “four score and seven years ago” during his Gettysburg Address in 1863. Lincoln was referring to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which occurred 87 (four score plus seven) years prior to Lincoln’s speech.

Used in a sentence: He bought a score of donuts from the bakery.

Where does score come from?

The first records of score come from before the 1100s. The noun ultimately comes from the Old Norse skor, meaning “notch or tally” or “20.” The verb ultimately comes from the Old Norse skora, meaning “to notch” or “to count by tallies.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to score?

scoreless (adjective)
scorer (noun)
nonscoring (adjective)
outscore (verb)
rescore (verb)
unscored (adjective)
unscoring (adjective)

What are some synonyms for score?

What are some words that share a root or word element with score?

What are some words that often get used in discussing score?

How is score used in real life?

Score is a common word that often refers to point tallies in games or an act of a player earning points.

We're heading to the top of the 9th from Globe Life Park with the Rangers beating the Yankees, 6-1.

The final score of Game 6 of the 2010 ALCS that sent the Rangers to their first World Series? Rangers 6, Yankees 1

— Jared Sandler (@JaredSandler) September 29, 2019

My son won his hockey game today, 6-4. He scored three goals.

— Sarah Lerner, Quaranteacher (@mrs_lerner) September 16, 2018

"Four score and seven years ago…" On this day in history, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address. #history

— MyHeritage (@MyHeritage) November 19, 2020

Try using score!

Is score used correctly in the following sentence?

The soccer game ended with a tied score of 2-2.

How to use score in a sentence

Makridis and Wu compared the committee’s social capital index score with county-level data on coronavirus infections, case growth and mortality.
Researchers identify social factors inoculating some communities against coronavirus|Christopher Ingraham|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
Cuban’s move comes after scores of athletes have followed the lead of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick by kneeling in protest during the national anthem.
The Dallas Mavericks will resume playing the national anthem before games|Timothy Bella|February 10, 2021|Washington Post
Even if box scores fail to capture the tweaks and triumphs Turner has made in his game, that doesn’t mean there aren’t clear areas for improvement still.
Myles Turner’s Game Has Evolved. The Box Score Doesn’t Know It Yet.|Chris Herring (chris.herring@fivethirtyeight.com)|February 10, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
The first factor was the game’s competitiveness and tension, measured by how close the score was at the end of each quarter.
That really was one of the least enjoyable Super Bowls of all time|Neil Greenberg|February 9, 2021|Washington Post

That kept the score at 31-9 in the Bucs’ favor, after that team’s defense kept the pressure on Mahomes.
Super Bowl highlights: Bucs celebrate championship, Tom Brady wins MVP|Des Bieler, Mark Maske, Chuck Culpepper|February 8, 2021|Washington Post
Yes, we do typically do better than Europe (and Canada, too, which is frequently awful on this score).
How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech|Nick Gillespie|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The higher your score, the more likely it is that you can lip-sync along to the “Checkers” Speech.
The World’s Toughest Political Quiz|Jeff Greenfield|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sting took over the lead role to try to draw an audience, but his thumpingly inspirational score was already the hero of the show.
Hedwig, Hugh & Michael Cera: 12 Powerhouse Theater Performances of 2014|Janice Kaplan|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Finally, a score or so of films have been made of the story, some called A Christmas Carol and others, simply, Scrooge.
How Dickens and Scrooge Saved Christmas|Clive Irving|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Chiefly, we forgot the many, many problems there are with the bones—the book and score—to this show.
‘Peter Pan Live!’ Review: No Amount of Clapping Brings It to Life|Kevin Fallon|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Seven-score and four on the six middle Bells, the treble leading, and the tenor lying behind every change, makes good Musick.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing|Richard Duckworth and Fabian Stedman
Indeed, a score of bodies lying there had not been seen by Malcolm during his first frenzied examination of the house.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
The Indian turned his head, and spoke to some one behind; one after another a score of figures rose.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
It was locked there so firmly that a score of men had to labor for hours next day ere it could be cleared.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
I raised my pipe above my head and hurled it against the fence, where it crashed into a score of pieces.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd

British Dictionary definitions for score

score

/ (skɔː) /

noun

an evaluative, usually numerical, record of a competitive game or match

the total number of points made by a side or individual in a game or match

the act of scoring, esp a point or points

the score informal the actual situation; the true factsto know the score

US and Canadian the result of a test or exam

a group or set of twentythree score years and ten

(usually plural foll by of) a great number; lotsI have scores of things to do

music

the written or printed form of a composition in which the instrumental or vocal parts appear on separate staves vertically arranged on large pages (full score) or in a condensed version, usually for piano (short score) or voices and piano (vocal score)
the incidental music for a film or play
the songs, music, etc, for a stage or film musical

a mark or notch, esp one made in keeping a tally

an account of amounts due

an amount recorded as due

a reason or accountthe book was rejected on the score of length

a grievance

a line marking a division or boundary
(as modifier)score line

informal the victim of a theft or swindle

dancing notation indicating a dancer's moves

over the score informal excessive; unfair

settle a score or pay off a score

to avenge a wrong
to repay a debt

verb

to gain (a point or points) in a game or contest

(tr) to make a total score ofto score twelve

to keep a record of the score (of)

(tr) to be worth (a certain amount) in a game

(tr) US and Canadian to evaluate (a test or exam) numerically; mark

(tr) to record by making notches in

to make (cuts, lines, etc) in or on

(intr) slang to obtain something desired, esp to purchase an illegal drug

(intr) slang (of a man) to be successful in seducing a person

(tr)

to set or arrange (a piece of music) for specific instruments or voices
to write the music for (a film, play, etc)

to achieve (success or an advantage)your idea really scored with the boss

(tr) mainly US and Canadian to criticize harshly; berate

to accumulate or keep a record of (a debt)

Derived forms of score

scorer, noun

Word Origin for score

Old English scora; related to Old Norse skor notch, tally, twenty

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 score

score

see box score; know the score; pay off (an old score); settle a score.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.