count for
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to be important or have value in a particular situation.
phrasal verb. to have importance, value, or influence; often used to describe how much weight a specific factor carries in a final decision or evaluation.
Your hard work will count for something.
In this job interview, your previous experience will count for more than your university degree.
The diplomat's personal rapport with the prime minister counted for little when the two nations reached a stalemate over trade tariffs.
- matter
- be significant
- carry weight
- be irrelevant
- be worthless
- Particles
- for
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- count + for + object
usually followed by a quantifier like 'nothing', 'little', 'a lot', or 'something'.
contrast with 'count on' (to rely on) to avoid confusion between these two common phrasal verbs with the same base.
His help counts for a lot of.His help counts for a lot.the phrase 'count for' is followed by a noun or quantifier, not an extra preposition like 'of' unless it is part of a separate phrase.
Last updated April 24, 2026