# countdown

/ˈkaʊntˌdaʊn/ (US) · /kˈaʊntdaʊn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/countdown
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. counting to zero

noun · CEFR B1

counting backwards to zero to mark the start of an event.

For teachers: the act of counting units of time in reverse order to signal the commencement of an event, such as a rocket launch or race.

- The crowd joined in the final countdown as the clock reached ten seconds before midnight.
- The mission controller initiated the final countdown, monitoring the telemetry closely as the seconds ticked toward the scheduled ignition.

### 2. the waiting period

noun · CEFR B2

the period of time or the preparations leading up to a big event.

For teachers: the period of time immediately preceding a significant event, often involving a series of scheduled preparatory tasks.

- The countdown to the election has begun, with candidates visiting every major city.
- During the tense countdown to the product launch, the marketing team worked through the night to ensure every digital asset was live and functional.

### 3. ranked list program

noun · CEFR B1

a radio or TV show that plays the most popular songs or items in reverse order.

For teachers: a broadcast program that presents a ranked list of items, typically popular music, starting from the lowest rank and ending with number one.

- I always listen to the top forty countdown on Sunday afternoons to hear the new hits.
- The radio station's annual countdown of the greatest rock anthems of all time consistently attracts the highest listener engagement of the year.

## Examples

- The crowd joined in the final countdown to the new year.
- The mission director initiated the final countdown ten minutes before the scheduled rocket launch.
- As the digital clock on the wall ticked toward zero, the tension in the newsroom grew, marking the final countdown to the live broadcast of the election results.

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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.