Whatever counts

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Whatever counts" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to express that any action or consideration is valid or important, regardless of its nature. Example: "In this project, whatever counts is the effort you put in." Alternative expressions include "Anything matters," "All that matters," and "Whatever is important."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

After nearly four decades, goth lumbers on, zombielike in its relentless opposition to whatever counts as mainstream at the moment.

The Washington Post

Ironic revivalists such as (the surprisingly good) Steel Panther exploit the pantomime antics and oversexed lyrics of Def Leppard, Extreme, Mötley Crüe et al. Michaels is now famous, or whatever counts for fame these days, for American reality TV shows such as Rock of Love and Celebrity Apprentice.

The Guardian - Music

A broader grasp of architectural objects should engage whatever counts as objective facts about those objects.

SEP

To put this another way, punishment is not supposed to be justified, or even partly justified, by packing its definition in a manner that virtually guarantees that whatever counts as punishment is automatically justified.

SEP

What is labeled important is whatever counts to human perception and human interest.

HuffPost

As the years go on, more and more people want to have an alternative". For a fest that started as scruffy Coachella counter-programming, Desert Daze has now entered the big leagues (or whatever counts as the big leagues for a 2,000-capacity 2,000-capacityutshowr rofk).

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

I'm also on Facebook (thesephist), for whatever that counts.

University of California, Berkeley

Indeed, it is respondent’s submission that it would be consistent with the rules of the recount procedures to include whatever partial counts are done by the time of final certification, and we interpret the Florida Supreme Court’s decision to permit this.

Cornell University

Indeed, it is respondent's submission that it would be consistent with the rules of the recount procedures to include whatever partial counts are done by the time of final certification, and we interpret the Florida Supreme Court's decision to permit this.

Cornell University

The notion of relative rigidity presupposes that a name for the piece of clay refers, with respect to some parameter p, to whatever object counts as the piece of clay relative to that parameter.

SEP

Exuding the spirit of gamblers rather than statesmen, the decision-makers played "the percentage game", counting whatever could be counted and ignoring the rest, or the underlying problems, with "an utterly irrational confidence in the calculability of reality".

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair the phrase with the preposition "as" to define a specific role or classification, such as "whatever counts as evidence".

Common error

Do not insert a comma between the two words unless they belong to different clauses. For example, in the sentence "Whatever, counts are being verified", the comma changes "whatever" into an interjection, which is different from the integrated relative clause usage.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Whatever counts" functions as a fused relative construction where the word "whatever" acts as both the antecedent and the relative pronoun. According to Ludwig AI, it often serves as the subject or object within a sentence to represent an indefinite quantity or variety of things that meet a specific condition.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

30%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "Whatever counts" is a versatile and grammatically correct phrase used to denote anything that satisfies a particular requirement. Ludwig AI highlights its effectiveness in defining fluid categories, such as "whatever counts as mainstream" or "whatever counts for fame". It is a staple in both high-level journalism and academic discourse, offering a way to remain precise yet inclusive. When using this phrase, ensure it is integrated naturally into the sentence structure, and consider alternatives like "all that matters" if a more emphatic tone is required. Its primary strength lies in its ability to handle subjective or shifting definitions with linguistic economy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

All that matters

Emphasizes the singular importance of the subject matter.

Whatever is significant

A direct and concise way to focus on importance.

No matter what is significant

A more emphatic version of the original query.

Whatever is relevant

Focuses specifically on the applicability of the items in question.

Whatever is deemed important

Adds a layer of external judgment or official classification.

Whatever has value

Narrows the scope to items possessing inherent worth.

Everything that qualifies

More formal and categorical in its approach to selection.

Whatever makes the cut

An idiomatic alternative suggesting a threshold or selection process.

Anything that holds weight

Uses a metaphor to describe items with significant influence or value.

Regardless of what is considered

Shifts the focus to the act of consideration rather than the result.

FAQs

How to use "Whatever counts" in a sentence?

You can use "Whatever counts" to refer to any item that meets a certain standard, for example: "We must analyze "whatever counts" as a success in this industry."

What can I say instead of "Whatever counts"?

Depending on the level of formality, you can use phrases like "all that matters", "whatever is relevant", or "everything that qualifies".

Which is correct, "Whatever counts" or "All that counts"?

Both are correct. "all that counts" usually implies a more definitive or singular focus, while "Whatever counts" is often used for broader or more subjective categories.

Is "Whatever counts" formal or informal?

It is generally considered neutral to formal. As seen in Ludwig, it appears frequently in academic contexts like the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and news sources like The New York Times.