countdown
ˈkaʊntˌdaʊn
Definition Synonyms

Definition of countdown - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

1.
event timingcounting backward to an event or action
  • The countdown to the New Year has begun.
timekeeping timer
2.
preparation periodperiod of time leading up to an important event
  • The final countdown to the new year was filled with excitement..
lead-up preparation run-up
3.
media programshow ranking items in reverse order
  • I watched the countdown of the top 10 songs.
listing ranking
Add a suggestion |

Expressions with countdown

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
time display or device that counts backward to zero before an event
I set a countdown timer for ten minutes while the cake baked.
last moments before an important event
The team was nervous during the final countdown to the championship game.
begin the process of counting down numbers to zero
They will start the countdown before the race begins.

Origin of countdown

English, count (calculate) + down (reduce)

Terms with countdown included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
holiday countdown
special calendar to count days until Christmas
music
do a countdown before starting a performance
space
the countdown and launch of a rocket
countdown
happening or related to the time before a launch
yachting
countdown before a race starts
1-2-3oth.
start signal
countdown or prompt to start

Examples of countdown in a sentence

  • We watched the countdown to the concert eagerly.
  • The countdown to the rocket launch has begun.
  • The countdown for the concert started a week before the event.
  • The station airs a weekly countdown of popular podcasts.
  • Our countdown revealed the year's best films.

View all translations of countdown

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:compte à rebours, hit-parade, ...
  2. German:Countdown, Hitparade, ...
  3. Italian:conto alla rovescia, classifica alla rovescia, ...
  4. Spanish:cuenta regresiva, clasificación, ...
  5. Portuguese:contagem decrescente, programa de contagem decrescente, ...
  6. Chinese:倒计时, 倒计时节目, ...
  7. Japanese:カウントダウン, 最終カウントダウン, ...
  8. Arabic:عَدّ تَنازُلي, بَرْنامج عَدّ تَنازُلِيّ, ...
  9. Hebrew:סְפִירָה לְאָחוֹר, מִצְעָד, ...
  10. Russian:обратный отсчет, обратный отсчёт, ...
  11. Ukrainian:зворотний відлік, хіт-парад, ...
  12. Hindi:उलटी गिनती, अंतिम उलटी गिनती, ...
Browse the dictionary entries starting with “c”:

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

Get more than a simple definition

Go from understanding to mastery