From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishreckon with somebody/something phrasal verb1 somebody/something to be reckoned withPOWER someone or something that is powerful and must be regarded seriously as a possible opponent, competitor, danger etc Barcelona will be a force to be reckoned with this season. The principal was certainly a woman to be reckoned with.2 not reckon with somebody/somethingTHINK ABOUT to not consider a possible problem when you are making plans I had not reckoned with the excitement in the popular press.3 have somebody/something to reckon withDEAL WITH to have to deal with someone or something powerful Any invader would have the military might of NATO to reckon with. → reckon→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
somebody/something to be reckoned with• But when you get some one who can really play them, they sure are a force to be reckoned with.• Not only its army, but its religious tradition was a force to be reckoned with.• This extraordinary collection proves D az to be the real deal, and a new literary voice to be reckoned with.• Truly, we are a force to be reckoned with.• Yet singers Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith proved they were talents to be reckoned with.• By now he was a quick and decisive player, a force to be reckoned with at center half.• One of the strongest factors to be reckoned with in national politics was the press.• It recognised the power and the autonomy of the public as a force to be reckoned with; predicted but never ignored.not reckon with somebody/something• But the Gentlemen had not reckoned with a Bastide newly heartened by glorying in Westbourne's ignominy.• But they had not reckoned with Lord Robertson.• That was fine, but I had not reckoned with the excitement the case aroused in the popular press.• He had not reckoned with the fact that the second charge of canister could not be fired.• Clearly, the government has not reckoned with the Internet and transborder data flow.• But if we think that, we have not reckoned with the mischief of the compiler.have somebody/something to reckon with• You'll have the boss to reckon with if you go home this early.• Anyone attempting to invade the country will have to reckon with the peacekeeping force. 