add up

verb

added up; adding up; adds up

intransitive verb

1
a
: to come to the expected total
the bill doesn't add up
b
: to form an intelligible pattern : make sense
her story just doesn't add up
2
a
: amount sense 1b
used with to
the play adds up to a lot of laughs
b
: to amount to a lot
just a little each time, but it all adds up

transitive verb

: to form an opinion of
added him up at a glance

Examples of add up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Total fertility rate falls Last year's total of new births adds up to a rate of 1,616.5 births per 1,000 women in the U.S. Alexander Tin, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2024 The changes are subtle but add up to comments becoming more of a focal point in the user experience. Mia Sato, The Verge, 24 Apr. 2024 From July through December, a recent financial report shows that Tri-City’s operations lost between $2.9 million and $5.8 million per month, adding up to a $24.6 million loss for the year so far. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024 Some want to downsize, but the numbers don't add up Sherry Murray, 73, and her husband, 80, bought their house in the North Hills of Pittsburgh in 1991, for $240,000. Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 18 Apr. 2024 Graphic explainer:How are college costs adding up these days and how much has tuition risen? Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024 By Zillow’s estimation, backyards with an outdoor TV were sold for 3.1% more than expected, which adds up to $10,749 more for a typical home in the United States. Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 12 Apr. 2024 The expenses added up, but Bob’s job and Mary Susan’s work as an artist and blogger kept them afloat. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024 With projects calling for thousands of coral to be planted over the next year and tens of thousands of coral to be planted over the next decade, the losses add up when coral pieces can cost more than $100 each. David Fischer, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'add up.' 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

1850, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of add up was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near add up

Cite this Entry

“Add up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/add%20up. Accessed 2 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

add up

verb
1
a
: to come to a total and especially the expected total
b
: to make sense
her story just doesn't add up
2
: to amount to a lot
just a little each time, but it all adds up

More from Merriam-Webster on add up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!