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

Synonyms

• amount (to)
• come (to)
• correspond (to)
• emulate
• equal

Examples of add up in a Sentence

whether we take the 4:00 train or the 4:15 bus, it adds up to the same thing: they both get us back too late

even if we pool all our money, it won't add up to enough to rent a beach house for a week

Recent Examples on the Web

This combination of skills and personality add up, in my opinion, to using the word ‘genius’ to describe Hans without any hint of hyperbole. —Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

In the end, that adds up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie being the lawful neutral of video-game movies. —Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025

Such a difference could feasibly add up over the course of an entire career. —Jamie Ducharme, Health, 4 Apr. 2025

The underwriter will add up all the deposits, with all the inbound money transfers excluded. —Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Rhymes for add up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

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