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
But from a brand perspective, YSL Beauty took the number-one spot in 2025 and has held on to it since. — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026 In August 2022, little more than two months before the vote that returned him to power, the then-opposition leader published another number and invited Israelis to video call him. — Deborah Danan, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
Manager Xabi Alonso named a 24-man squad and yet the number of players omitted numbered well into double figures. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Under her proposal, a handful of municipal layoffs citywide will number in the single digits. — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 16 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
  • Meanwhile, highs in the 90s for the San Joaquin Valley are a welcome change of pace from many days of consecutive triple-digit heat.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • And the sales are growing by a percentage in the triple digits.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 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
  • 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
  • Consider a dashboard that shows applications, including keys and libraries; network traffic protocols and ciphers; hardware, such as HSMs and TPMs; and third-party dependencies, including cryptographic or software bills of materials.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 26 May 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 reversal underscores how quickly the calculations of Asia’s wealthy can change.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Patriot system tracks the missile, predicts its path and launches within minutes, all while carrying out complex calculations to ensure the interceptor finds its target.
    — Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of calculation
Verb
  • The latest available Census of Agriculture data, from 2023, counted about 47,000 cattle and calves in the county.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Miller sought an injunction similar to the one former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia received, challenging eligibility rules that count seasons played at a junior college against a player’s four years of eligibility at a Division I school.
    — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on number

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about number

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