number 1 of 2

noun

ˈnəm-bər How to pronounce number (audio)
Definition of numbernext
1
as in digit
a character used to represent a mathematical value asked him to write out the equation in numbers, not letters

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2
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production a doomsday novel that turns out to be one of those it-was-all-a-dream numbers

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3
as in act
a performance regularly presented by an individual or group a modern dance number

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4
as in cipher
a person of no importance or influence doesn't want to go to some mammoth state university where she would be just a number

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in feat
an act of notable skill, strength, or cleverness a stunning gymnastics number that really impressed the judges

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6
as in calculation
numbers plural the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value if you believe the president's numbers, we can afford these new programs and still have tax cuts

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number

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to count
to find the sum of (a collection of things) by noting each one as it is being added number those apples and tell me how many you have

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2
as in to aggregate
to have a total of the full-time staff numbers 30 people

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3
as in to include
to have as part of a whole is numbered among the great minds of our times

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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 number
Noun
By introducing the boron-containing material into the reactor coolant during an emergency, the system is designed to reduce the number of neutrons available to sustain the nuclear reaction. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 And the audience for those games skews young, with more than half of all avid soccer viewers aged 18-to-34, a demographic highly sought by advertisers and one that suggests NBC’s numbers could stay strong for years. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
Roof shingles then need to be removed; brick fireplaces and chimneys have to be dismantled, their pieces carefully numbered for reconstruction later; and the entire structure must be sliced into road-ready sections like a loaf of bread. — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 But Swift's science work is now done, and its days in orbit are numbered. — Leonard David, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for number
Recent Examples of Synonyms for number
  1. digit
  2. composition
  3. act
  4. cipher
  5. feat
  6. calculation
  7. count
  8. aggregate
Noun
  • And by slightly cool, that means bring daily highs below triple digits.
    — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Aug. 2026
  • For travelers who have had their fill of pool days and triple-digit temperatures, an early taste of fall may sound even better, with mountain getaways and northern latitudes calling.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of digit
Noun
  • Her work combines documentary observation with staged composition to explore female perspectives, Berlins subcultures, and everyday intimacy.
    — PhotoVogue, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This represents the dynamics of Nigeria’s religious composition in one of the few places in the world where the population is almost evenly split between Christians, who live predominantly in the south, and Muslims, mostly in the north.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of composition
Noun
  • The last act before festival founder Olivia Rodrigo, Roan turned it out with all of her powers—bolstered by a bold and bitchy, razor-sharp bob.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Here below, France’s own long-drink-of-water goalie Robin Risser does his best Beckham follow-on act with a stately Louis Vuitton carry-all with their trademark leather trim at the stress points.
    — Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of act
Noun
  • There’s that vibrancy and, on the other side of the ledger, dead boys, ciphers, unfinished or unfinishable quests.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But in my view, our relationships to animals, whose lives are untouched by the existential woes and artifices of personhood, are the richest and most evident ciphers for our own often inscrutable psyches.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 June 2026
Definition of cipher
Noun
  • Why would Chinese companies invest so much money and time into creating robots that perform such athletic feats (and crash and burn afterwards)?
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Cook pushed the company to diversify some production away from China while still appealing to Chinese consumers and leadership, which Munster said is a rare feat.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of feat
Noun
  • The calculation refers to nominal total returns, combining coupon income and changes in the bond's market price.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • And that calculation isn’t simply about the footprint of the house.
    — Luisa Yanez Updated September 3, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of calculation
Verb
  • The Times interviewed moms (and one really cool aunt) who attended the original Lilith Fair — and the kids in their lives — who now count themselves among the Daisy Chain generation.
    — Suzy Exposito, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Long maintenance periods can reduce the number of submarines available for deployments even when the vessels remain counted in the fleet’s overall inventory.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of count
Verb
  • Eight Sleep also collects and has a massive cache of user data that, when aggregated and de-identified, can be used to identify broader trends and support research, reports, and studies on sleep and health.
    — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Days a team must wait to aggregate players acquired in a trade.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggregate

Phrases Containing number

Browse Nearby Words

numbed
number
numberable
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Cite this Entry

“Number.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/number. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on number

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about number

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