# reckon

/ˈɹɛkən/ (US) · /ɹˈɛkən/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. to think or believe

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal · British English

to think or believe that something is true or will happen.

For teachers: to believe, suppose, or expect something to be the case. Frequently used in British and Australian English to introduce a clause.

- I reckon it will rain later today, so you should take an umbrella.
- Most of the locals reckon that the new bypass will actually increase traffic congestion rather than solve the town's gridlock issues.

Usage: Often followed by a 'that' clause, though 'that' is frequently omitted in speech.

### 2. to calculate

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to calculate or figure out a number or amount.

For teachers: to calculate, compute, or determine an amount or number through mathematical means.

- The total cost was reckoned at over five hundred dollars.
- The final damages were reckoned to be in the millions, once the full extent of the structural failure was assessed by the engineers.

Usage: Often used in financial or technical contexts regarding totals.

### 3. to consider or regard

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to consider someone or something to be a certain way.

For teachers: to consider or regard someone or something as being a particular thing or having a particular quality.

- He was reckoned among the best writers of his time.
- In the annals of maritime history, she is reckoned one of the most daring explorers to have ever navigated the southern passages.

### 4. to deal with (reckon with)

verb · CEFR B2

to deal with a difficult person or situation that you cannot ignore.

For teachers: to take something into account or to deal with a powerful person or force.

- If you break the rules, you will have to reckon with the manager.
- The campaign failed because the organisers did not reckon with the sheer scale of public opposition to the proposed tax hikes.

Usage: Used as a phrasal verb 'reckon with'.

### 5. an opinion

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · British English · Dialect

your personal opinion or guess about something.

For teachers: an informal term for an individual's opinion, calculation, or impression of a situation.

- By my reckon, we should have arrived at the station ten minutes ago.
- If you want my honest reckon, the whole project is likely to be mothballed before the end of the fiscal year.

## Examples

- I reckon it will rain later today.
- The mechanic said he reckons the repairs will cost about two hundred dollars.
- While some experts predict a market crash, others reckon that the current stability will hold for at least another fiscal quarter.

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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.