1 A2 neutral
To trust and believe that someone will do what is needed or expected.
"You can always count on Maria to stay calm in an emergency."
“
You can count on me.
— Bruno Mars, 'Count on Me' (song, 2010)
inseparable
count on
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To trust that someone or something will help or behave in an expected way.
In plain English
To trust someone or be sure that something will happen.
What does "count on" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To be confident that something will happen in a certain way.
"Don't count on the weather being perfect — bring a jacket just in case."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To count (enumerate) something that you rely upon — mostly transparent but with idiomatic extension.
Actually means
To trust someone or be sure that something will happen.
Usage tip
One of the most common phrasal verbs in English. Can be followed by a noun or a gerund ('count on him', 'count on him arriving'). Informal and neutral registers both.
Words that pair with "count on"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
support help vote friendship experience team
How to conjugate "count on"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
count on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
counts on
he/she/it
Past simple
counted on
yesterday
Past participle
counted on
have + pp
-ing form
counting on
continuous
Hear "count on" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "count on" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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