Skip to main content
countless

countless

245 2.5
There are so many that you cannot say how many
  • adjective
  • /ˈkaʊnt.ləs/
translation icon : innumerable
  • The charity has provided food and shelter to countless families in need.
  • spend countless hours
  • countless hours
  • countless examples

It's been used as a textbook in countless schools.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • More than 250 full-time employees and countless volunteers work behind the scenes to promote citizenship education.

    Academic text (1993)
  • In the experience of countless nations, especially ours, we see that culture is not destiny.

    Academic text (2008)
  • And I think there are countless examples of that.

  • And that has happened to me as well in countless, countless ways.

  • And now it's led to countless opportunities worldwide.

  • And the answer is this program has saved countless marriages.

  • Someone can spend countless hours trying to get those three components to work together properly.

    Academic text (2011)
  • It's been used as a textbook in countless schools.

  • Once the students are in the library, there are countless ways that you can enrich their reading experiences.

    Academic text (2008)
  • He's back and has inspired countless people with his words.

Synonyms

infinite
vscountless
183 4.2

Without limits or end

restricts meaning to being too many to count rather than unlimited
untold
vscountless
52 4.8

A very large amount that cannot be counted or measured

focuses specifically on being uncountable rather than merely large
myriad
vscountless
35 7.0

Very many, too many to count

is the common simple expression for the same idea
innumerable
vscountless
21 5.4

Too many to count

has identical meaning but differs only in form
endless
vscountless
19 2.5

Very large in number that seems to have no limit

refers specifically to quantities too many to be counted
uncounted
vscountless
6 6.3

So many that you cannot say how many

has identical meaning but differs only in form
numberless
vscountless
3 6.0

So many that you cannot count them

has identical meaning but differs only in form
multitudinous
vscountless
  • Literature
2 7.9

Present in very large numbers

emphasizes being too many to count rather than just very large
uncountable
vscountless
1 4.6

So many that you cannot count them one by one

focuses on sheer uncountability rather than individual counting issues
unnumbered
vscountless
1 7.5

So many that you cannot count them

has identical meaning but differs only in form
unnumerable
vscountless
7.9

Too many to count

has identical meaning but differs only in form
innumerous
vscountless
9.6

So many that you cannot count them

has identical meaning but differs only in form
unnumberable
vscountless
7.8

So many that you cannot count them

has identical meaning but differs only in form

Antonyms

few
1.0

A small number of people or things

393 2.5

Available only in small amounts or to a few people

How Many

countless
245 2.5
numerous
432 2.0
many
9 1.0
some
1.0
few
1.0

Surface Forms

countless positive
countlesser comparative
countlessest superlative

Morphology

countless = count (transparent) = count + less

The adjective is directly formed from 'count' + the productive suffix '-less' meaning 'without', so the meaning 'innumerable' is predictable.

Etymology

Countless is made of count ('to number') and -less ('without'). So it means 'without enough numbers', or simply too many to be counted.