Phrasal verb
count upon
Definition
phrasal verb. to rely on someone or something, especially when you need help or expect a specific result.
phrasal verb. to depend on or place trust in a person, entity, or outcome with the expectation of support or fulfillment.
Examples
“You can always count upon your family for support.”
“The team is counting upon a victory in tonight's game to stay in the tournament.”
“In times of economic instability, investors often count upon gold as a reliable hedge against inflation.”
Examples
simple
“You can always count upon your family for support.”
contextual
“The team is counting upon a victory in tonight's game to stay in the tournament.”
complex
“In times of economic instability, investors often count upon gold as a reliable hedge against inflation.”
Usage
more formal than 'count on' but used in the same way with a following object.
Teaching tip
point out that 'count upon' and 'count on' are interchangeable, though 'upon' is less common in casual conversation and more frequent in writing.
Pitfall
I count upon that you will help.
I count upon you to help.
this phrase usually takes a noun or a person + infinitive rather than a 'that' clause.
Phrasal verb
Particles
upon
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
count + upon + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/count-upon