English Meaning & Definitions
To admit as acceptable or possible; to tolerate, sanction, or give approval to.
- “The committee will not countenance any breach of security rules.”
- “She refused to countenance such rude behavior in her home.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “countenanced”.
Derived from the noun 'countenance' (from Old French 'contenance', meaning 'demeanor, behavior, facial expression', ultimately from Latin 'continentia' meaning 'restraint' or 'holding together'). The verb evolved in Middle English to mean 'to tolerate, support, or give approval to,' based on the idea of showing a favorable facial expression toward someone or something.
Think of keeping a 'count' (record) of actions you 'consent' to and support (countenanced).
Frequently Asked Questions About “countenanced”
1. What is the meaning of “countenanced” in English?
In English, countenanced (verb) is defined as: “To admit as acceptable or possible; to tolerate, sanction, or give approval to.”.
2. How do you use “countenanced” in a sentence?
“The committee will not countenance any breach of security rules.”
3. What are English synonyms of “countenanced”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “countenanced”?
Derived from the noun 'countenance' (from Old French 'contenance', meaning 'demeanor, behavior, facial expression', ultimately from Latin 'continentia' meaning 'restraint' or 'holding together'). The verb evolved in Middle English to mean 'to tolerate, support, or give approval to,' based on the idea of showing a favorable facial expression toward someone or something.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.