mount

¹ American  

[mount] / 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  

[mount] / 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

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”

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

Plus, the House of Mouse was already changing up its rhetorical tack to mount a fulsome self-defense on free speech and free press grounds.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

While Arsenal will likely mount a stronger title defence than Leicester, the Gunners' points tally last season was the second-lowest to win the Premier League since Claudio Ranieri's side 10 years ago.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

But as excitement over his campaign began to mount among progressives on a national level, Ryan said, El-Sayed’s public posture swung to a middle ground.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Schwimmer said the completed mount does more than give museum visitors a sense of the animal's intimidating size.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

Matthias piped up again, “We’d best mount a guard on the walls.”

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Her disclosure came as speculation mounts over her political future.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Discovery to as late as next June as David Ellison’s media company mounts its defense to the antitrust challenge brought by California Atty.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

But while he mounts his defence against a host of critics, speculation has fallen on who Zelensky might choose to replace him.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

The off-Broadway company mounts Erica Murray’s moving drama about a mother mourning her adult son and the two women connected to him who show up at her home.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

At a signal from the master of revels, the combatants couched their lances and put their spurs to their mounts.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

The original “Guild” and the way you’ve mounted this campaign feels like the work of friends, like Mickey and Judy getting the gang together in a someone’s uncle’s barn to put on a show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Sanford very briefly mounted a 2020 primary challenge to Trump as well.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

"They even have make-up artists to help you," she said as she mounted a crimson superbike, wrapped her arms around her driver and sped off with a videographer in pursuit.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

Big name sponsors mounted fan events, including a meet-and-greet at a shopping mall in Metro Manila's business district of Makati.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Between 1900 and 1910, as evidence for Mendel’s “units of heredity” mounted, biologists were confronted by the impact of the new theory.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Worried investors are offloading Treasurys as they grow frustrated with the expanding U.S. debt load, the government’s borrowing needs and mounting corporate-debt issuance.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

This has shown no signs of stopping, despite mounting evidence every day that the planet is under increasing stress and people are starting to suffer in vast numbers.

From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026

Last month, Magyar offered the nomination as president to chess legend Judit Polgar, but she declined after the prime minister faced mounting outrage for not consulting the public as promised.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

And after mounting pressure from the public, media and members of PC Harper's family, there does now appear to have been a shift.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

In the mounting twilight, it was unlikely we would be spotted from the pathway, unless someone were to approach.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• build
• escalate
• expand
• heighten
• intensify
• rise