# count for

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/count-for
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to be important or have value in a particular situation.

For teachers: to have importance, value, or influence; often used to describe how much weight a specific factor carries in a final decision or evaluation.

## Examples

- 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "His help counts for a lot of." but "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.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a quantifier like 'nothing', 'little', 'a lot', or 'something'.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'count on' (to rely on) to avoid confusion between these two common phrasal verbs with the same base.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.