body count

noun

1
: a count of the bodies of killed enemy soldiers
2
: the number of persons involved in a particular activity

Examples of body count in a Sentence

The rising body count fueled opposition to the war.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The total body count was… less than 4,500. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 June 2026 Keeping my body count low was insurance. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026 Las Vegas would shatter our grisly, record body count just a year later. — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2026 Which is tragic, along with a reminder that politics in Washington sometimes has a body count. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for body count

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of body count was in 1962

Rhymes for body count

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Browse Nearby Words

body corporate
body count
body double
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Body count.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20count. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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