countenancing

verb

present participle of countenance
1
as in accepting
to have a favorable opinion of I don't countenance such behavior in children of any age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tolerating
to put up with (something painful or difficult) countenanced the delays and inconveniences of traveling by air with good grace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of countenancing On that ground the United States can not properly be put in the position of countenancing a wrong after its commission any more than in that of consenting to it in advance. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026 The castrato was proud to call himself the boy’s father, never publicly countenancing the reality that this was impossible. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for countenancing
  1. accepting
  2. tolerating
  3. handling
  4. standing
  5. enduring
  6. taking
  7. sustaining
Verb
  • There are fewer excuses for accepting compromises than there used to be.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026
  • An Eagle man charged with animal cruelty in the shooting deaths of two caged cats was ordered to serve a total of 14 days in jail after accepting a plea deal in August, according to court records.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of accepting
Verb
  • Nathan is offended and starts going on his usual rant about not tolerating disrespect toward his family.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Egyptian authorities alternated over the decades between tolerating and repressing the group, which was permitted to field candidates in elections for brief periods.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of tolerating
Verb
  • Employee in cafe area wearing wrist jewelry while handling food.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • One, published in Case Reports in Infectious Diseases, described a chef who may have contracted psittacosis through handling poultry.
    — Rachel Melegrito, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of handling
Verb
  • Dozens of armored cops were still standing guard, shields raised, after a night when 500 people were taken into custody in the French capital alone.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Other classes transition between sitting and standing while holding onto the back for a little extra help with balance, or doing poses like downward dog with hands on the seat instead of reaching to the floor.
    — Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of standing
Verb
  • Compensation structures that incorporate multi-year performance expectations encourage leaders to think about the enduring health of the company, not just the current quarter.
    — Anthony Mastro, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Yet conversations of hormonal health and their enduring impact often end with the last period.
    — Sadiya S. Khan, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of enduring
Verb
  • Her hours used to be filled with calls, note-taking and lengthy card disclosures.
    — Lindsay Dodgson, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg exited Friday night's game against the Indiana Pacers with an apparent shoulder injury after taking a hard foul while attempting a layup.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of taking
Verb
  • Dieffenbach made the big play after sustaining an apparent leg injury on a hard hit late in the first half.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Rutgers starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan left after sustaining a blow to the head 6 minutes, 25 seconds into the first quarter and didn’t return.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of sustaining

Browse Nearby Words

countenances
countenancing
counter
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Cite this Entry

“Countenancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countenancing. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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