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reckon without

C1 formal inseparable transitive

to fail to consider someone or something important in your plans

In plain English

to forget to think about something that changes everything

What does "reckon without" mean?

One main meaning — here's how to use it.

1 C1 idiomatic formal

to make plans or assumptions without considering an important person, fact, or difficulty

"They thought the deal would go through easily, but they reckoned without local resistance."

He had reckoned without his host.

— Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes stories
inseparable

Literal vs figurative

Words literally mean

to calculate while leaving something outside

Actually means

to forget to think about something that changes everything

Usage tip

Most often used in the pattern 'reckon without someone/something'. It is fairly literary and often appears in dramatic contexts.

Words that pair with "reckon without"

Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.

opposition weather public mother law unexpected problems

How to conjugate "reckon without"

The five tense forms you'll use most often.

Base
reckon without
I/you/we/they
3rd person
reckons without
he/she/it
Past simple
reckoned without
yesterday
Past participle
reckoned without
have + pp
-ing form
reckoning without
continuous

Hear "reckon without" in the wild

Listen to native speakers using "reckon without" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.

Other ways to say "reckon without"

Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.

fail to consider ignore leave out not allow for overlook

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