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 But the fears that the world had initially held about intervention in Libya -- that the state would fragment, that the body count would rise, and that the government would ruthlessly repress its people -- are now being realized hundreds of miles away. David Roberts, Foreign Affairs, 25 June 2013 His tantrums are legendary, and with a body count of about 25, Finn Wittrock's Dandy was easily the show's most prolific killer until James March (Evan Peters) in Hotel. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 4 Sep. 2024 Nine months later, Ovidio was briefly arrested in Mexico, then handed back to the cartel in a bloody battle between the cartel and Mexican authorities that claimed at least 29 lives that October, according to an early body count by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 26 July 2024 Slavish attention to body counts tends to confuse tactical and strategic success and ignore the key measures that would show whether the strategic power of the opponent is growing even as the group’s immediate losses mount. Robert A. Pape, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for body count 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'body count.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near body count

Cite this Entry

“Body count.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20count. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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