Word
countless
Too many to be counted or very many.
Meanings
Too many to be counted; extremely numerous.
Happening many times; repeated very often.
Definition
Countless describes a number or amount that is extremely large and hard or impossible to count. It is often used to emphasize how many times something has happened or how many items, people, or details there are. In everyday English, it usually means “very many,” not literally infinite.
Examples
- I’ve heard that story countless times, yet the ending still catches me off guard.
- She faced countless small setbacks during the project, but she stayed focused and finished on time.
- They exchanged countless messages before agreeing on a plan that suited everyone.
- The museum’s archives contain countless photographs that capture everyday life across decades.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use "countless" with clearly countable small numbers (e.g., "countless three") instead of using it for very large, indefinite quantities.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.