“Countless” means “too many to count,” while “uncountable” means “not able to be counted.” Uncountable nouns can’t be counted, while countless nouns can.
Definitions of countless and uncountable
“Countless” means that there are too many to count, and “uncountable” means that there is no way to count them.
So, if you’re trying to describe a large number of things, you would use “countless.” If you’re trying to describe something that can’t be measured or doesn’t have a specific quantity, you would use “uncountable.”
Examples of how to use countless and uncountable
When we talk about “countless” things, we mean that there are so many of them that we can’t count them. For example:
The sky is full of stars – countless
I have so much work to do, I don’t know where to start – uncountable
There are countless stars in the sky.
We’ve received countless applications for the job.
I’ve made countless mistakes in my life.
When we talk about “uncountable” things, we mean that they can’t be counted because they are not discrete objects. For example:
Love is uncountable.
Luggage is uncountable when it refers to the amount of luggage (you can have a lot of luggage or a little luggage).
How countless and uncountable differ
“Countless” means that there are so many of something that they can’t be counted, while “uncountable” means that the thing cannot be counted at all. An easy way to remember the difference: if you can “count” the noun, use “countless”; if you can’t count the noun, use “uncountable.”
