countenancing

verb

present participle of countenance
1
as in accepting
to have a favorable opinion of I don't countenance such behavior in children of any age

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tolerating
to put up with (something painful or difficult) countenanced the delays and inconveniences of traveling by air with good grace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of countenancing On that ground the United States can not properly be put in the position of countenancing a wrong after its commission any more than in that of consenting to it in advance. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026 The castrato was proud to call himself the boy’s father, never publicly countenancing the reality that this was impossible. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for countenancing
  1. accepting
  2. tolerating
  3. handling
  4. standing
  5. enduring
  6. taking
  7. sustaining
Verb
  • So deep are the divisions that hardliners have accused officials of deliberately mismanaging the economic crisis to pressure an exhausted public into accepting a deal.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Miller and Young each received two-year prison sentences but were released shortly after accepting the plea agreement.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of accepting
Verb
  • Furthermore, relationships themselves teach basic psychological capacities such as regulating emotions, tolerating disappointment, and negotiating differences—skills which therapy is supposed to cultivate.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Either way, civilizationism would prescribe a more consistent strategy of military withdrawal from the region, a tack tantamount to tolerating Chinese hegemony in its sphere.
    — Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of tolerating
Verb
  • What those reviews don't capture is the proportion of bookings that complete without incident, which, across platforms handling millions of reservations annually, is considerably higher than review distributions suggest.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Wash hands after handling any pet food and keep children away from pet food dishes and treats.
    — Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of handling
Verb
  • OpenAI says the model has already contributed to solving difficult, long-standing mathematical problems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • From above, standing at the viewpoint, graffiti is visible on the roof.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of standing
Verb
  • In a strange way, Alexia Putellas’ move to London City Lionesses this summer encapsulates an enduring thread of recent transfer windows in the Women’s Super League.
    — Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The flood was a major blow to an enduring effort to modernize the pipeline that serves 6 million visitors a year and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village.
    — Jamie Stengle, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of enduring
Verb
  • At this late juncture in the season, the instability of the Akira One’s revolving-door crew is taking its toll.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
  • According to the memo, Google will begin taking electric service in February 2027 and will ramp up to full capacity by October 2029.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of taking
Verb
  • More than any position group, the Terps’ weakness right now is just sustaining success – for a full season or even a full 60 minutes in big games.
    — Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Ariana Grande will take the stage in London tonight in comfortable footwear rather than her signature heels after sustaining a minor injury.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of sustaining

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countenances
countenancing
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Cite this Entry

“Countenancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countenancing. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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