count on
B2Neutral to Informal
Definition
Meaning
to rely on or trust someone or something to do what is needed or expected.
To depend on something happening or being available; to consider something as certain when making plans.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Phrasal verb meaning dependence and trust. Often used for emotional reliance on people or for practical planning based on predictable outcomes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. 'Count upon' is a slightly more formal variant and is marginally more common in British English, though 'count on' dominates in both.
Connotations
Slightly more colloquial in American English.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
count on somebodycount on somebody/something for somethingcount on somebody/something to do somethingcount on doing somethingcount on somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “You can count on me.”
- “Don't count your chickens before they hatch.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used for project planning and team reliability: 'We're counting on the Q3 report for the investor meeting.'
Academic
Used in discussions of theoretical models or data: 'The hypothesis counts on a consistent rate of decay.'
Everyday
Common for personal plans and promises: 'Can I count on you to pick up the kids?'
Technical
Used in computing for system dependencies: 'The script counts on the API being live.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- You can always count on James in a crisis.
- We hadn't counted on the train being cancelled.
American English
- Don't count on the weather being nice for the picnic.
- I'm counting on you to finish the report by Friday.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I count on my mum to make lunch.
- We count on the bus every day.
- You can count on Sarah; she's very reliable.
- They counted on good weather for the festival.
- The company is counting on the new software to increase productivity.
- He hadn't counted on encountering so much opposition.
- The strategy counts on a degree of consumer loyalty that may no longer exist.
- We counted upon his discretion, but he divulged the details to the press.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a king COUNTing his gold ON a table; he depends on it being there.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRUST IS A SOLID FOUNDATION (You build your plans on it).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from 'считать на' which is incorrect. Use 'полагаться на' or 'рассчитывать на'.
- Do not confuse with 'count in' (включать).
Common Mistakes
- *I count on you for helping me. (Correct: I count on you to help me.)
- *We are counting on that he arrives. (Correct: We are counting on him to arrive / counting on his arrival.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'count on' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot say 'count someone on'.
They are very close synonyms. 'Count on' often implies a more personal trust or a specific expected outcome, while 'rely on' can sound slightly more formal and systemic.
Yes, e.g., 'Don't count on the old printer working.'
'Not count on' or 'hadn't counted on'. It expresses something unexpected or not planned for.