1
a(1)
: a sum of units : total
the number of people in the hall
(2)
: complement sense 1b(1)
… the whole number of Senators …—
U.S. Constitution
U.S. Constitution
(3)
: an indefinite usually large total
a number of members were absent
the number of elderly is rising
(5)
: a numerical preponderance (see preponderance sense 2)
There's safety in numbers.
b(1)
: the characteristic of an individual by which it is treated as a unit or of a collection by which it is treated in terms of units
there is a limited number of such laboratories—P. D. Close
P. D. Close
(2)
: an ascertainable total
bugs beyond number
c(1)
: a unit belonging to an abstract mathematical system and subject to specified laws of succession, addition, and multiplication
a number divisible by 2
especially
: natural number
(2)
: an element (such as π) of any of many mathematical systems obtained by extension of or analogy with the natural number system
(3)
2
: a distinction of word form to denote reference to one or more than one
A subject and its verb should agree in number.
also
: a form or group of forms so distinguished
3
4
a
: a word, symbol, letter, or combination of symbols representing a number
Spell out the numbers one through ten.
b
: a numeral or combination of numerals or other symbols used to identify or designate
dialed the wrong number
c(1)
: a member of a sequence or collection designated by especially consecutive numbers (such as an issue of a periodical)
just received issue number 8 of the magazine
(2)
: a position in a numbered sequence
You're number 7 on the waiting list.
d
: a group of one kind
not of their number
5
: one singled out from a group : individual: such as
d
: an act of transforming or impairing
tripped and did a number on her knee
e
: an item of merchandise and especially clothing
put that black velvet number with the sequins on the blonde dummy—Bennett Cerf
Bennett Cerf6
: insight into a person's ability or character
had my number
7
numbers plural in form but singular or plural in construction
a
: a form of lottery in which an individual wagers on the appearance of a certain combination of digits (as in regularly published numbers)
called also numbers game
8
numbers plural
a
: figures representing amounts of money usually in dollars spent, earned, or involved
We won't be able to stay in business with numbers like these.
b(1)
: statistics sense 2
especially
: individual statistics (as of an athlete)
Her numbers make her the most valuable member of the team.
(2)
9
: a person represented by a number or considered without regard to individuality
at the university I was just a number
10
: lifetime sense 1a
—used with up
the old feeling that comes to men in combat … that your number was up—Geoffrey Norman
Geoffrey Norman
Amount vs. Number: Usage Guide
Number is regularly used with count nouns
a large number of mistakes
any number of times
while amount is mainly used with mass nouns.
annual amount of rainfall
a substantial amount of money
The use of amount with count nouns has been frequently criticized; it usually occurs when the number of things is thought of as a mass or collection
glad to furnish any amount of black pebbles
—New Yorker
New Yorker
a substantial amount of film offers
—Lily Tomlin
Lily Tomlin
or when money is involved.
a substantial amount of loans
—E. R. Black
E. R. Black
numbered; numbering
ˈnəm-b(ə-)riŋ 
2
: to claim as part of a total : include
3
: to restrict to a definite number
your days are numbered
4
: to assign a number to
number the pages
5
: to amount to in number : total
the crew numbers 100
Examples of number in a Sentence
Noun
the numbers and letters on a license plate
a three-digit number like 429
Think of a number between one and one hundred.
2, 4, 6, and 8 are even numbers; 1, 3, 5, and 7 are odd numbers.
Never give out your credit card number to anyone over the phone.
What's the account number on your electricity bill?
The page numbers are on the top corner of each page.
Today's winning lottery numbers are 17, 8, and 46.
I'm waiting for the number 3 bus.
Verb
She numbers and arranges the photographs according to when they were taken.
Each print is signed and numbered by the artist.
The team's coach bought all the players numbered jerseys.
In that year, European settlers in the area numbered nearly 15,000.
The animal, which once numbered in the millions, is now extinct.
He numbers her with the other great poets of the time.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
How many Powerball numbers are needed to win a prize?
—Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
It's sold in handcrafted and numbered ceramic bottles shaped like a copper brewing kettle.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for number
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Her approval rating sits at a strong 71%, a number her team will be keen to preserve.
—Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
How many Powerball numbers are needed to win a prize?
—Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
While Spanish chroniclers numbered the population around the time of European contact to have been 1 million, anthropologists have disputed this, arguing instead for the population to have been 6–12 million.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
It's sold in handcrafted and numbered ceramic bottles shaped like a copper brewing kettle.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for number
Cite this Entry
“Number.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/number. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
number
1 of 2 noun
num·ber
ˈnəm-bər
1
2
a
: a unit belonging to a mathematical system and subject to its laws
a number divisible by 2
b
plural
: arithmetic
3
: a quality of a word form that shows whether the word is singular or plural
a verb agrees in number with its subject
4
a
: a word, symbol, or letter used to represent a mathematical number
b
: a certain numeral for telling one person or thing from another or from others
a phone number
5
: one in a series
the June number of a magazine
6
: a musical, theatrical, or literary selection
number
2 of 2 verb
numbered; numbering
-b(ə-)riŋ
2
: to claim as part of a total : include
was numbered among the guests
3
: to restrict to a definite number
vacation days are numbered now
4
: to assign a number to
number the pages of a scrapbook
5
: to add up to or have a total of
our group numbered ten in all
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