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

Relevance

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
  • After arriving at the hospital and spending nearly an hour with hospital staff filling out paperwork, I was handed another form accepting financial responsibility.
    — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • So the witches must find the son to stop him from accepting the role.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of accepting
Verb
  • Nathan is offended and starts going on his usual rant about not tolerating disrespect toward his family.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Egyptian authorities alternated over the decades between tolerating and repressing the group, which was permitted to field candidates in elections for brief periods.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of tolerating
Verb
  • Screen Queensland is on board, with Kismet distributing locally and Cornerstone handling international sales.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max push the boundaries of what mobile phones can do, such as handling on-device Siri AI calculations and running computational photography algorithms to deliver the best possible images.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of handling
Verb
  • But the arrangement of rose blossoms has been a long-standing scientific puzzle.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In her pristine Los Angeles kitchen, Nora Lum—the actor, comedian, and rapper better known as Awkwafina—is standing over a stove with two burners and losing the fight with both.
    — Elissa Suh, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of standing
Verb
  • Hickel, meanwhile, distinguished the uncertainty facing professional employment from the enduring ability to create art.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • For one, belts became a key statement piece — either big as with Celine or triple with Gucci — second only to the enduring charm of chunky jewelry and maxi sunglasses.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of enduring
Verb
  • Unlike traditional sports betting, prediction markets function more like exchanges, with participants taking positions against one another rather than against a house.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • During a recent town hall at the Ivy League school, one student raised the question of a Greek life ban, asking student organizers if taking that step might improve the culture on campus.
    — Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of taking
Verb
  • The Hurricanes took the lead back after Xavier Lucas, who was playing in his first game since sustaining an injury in the season opener, recovered a Riles fumble (forced by Ethan O’Connor).
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Two of the estimated 400 firefighters assigned to the Norte Fire were stabilized at a hospital after sustaining unspecified injuries battling the blaze, McGovern said.
    — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of sustaining

Browse Nearby Words

countenances
countenancing
counter
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Cite this Entry

“Countenancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countenancing. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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