as in money
something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment
made some real wampum on that last business deal
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wampum
Some of their gear—a pair of shoes, a VHF radio, a wampum sash worth several thousand dollars—now resides on the canal’s bottom.
—
Ben McGrath, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023
There is a really quite amazing scene when Civility and Satcheechoe take a string of wampum and wrap it around the Pennsylvania governor’s arm to symbolically pull him to Albany to meet with all the Native people who have become involved in this case.
—Karin Wulf, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2021
Not only were these beads a coveted status symbol, but the powerful Mohawk of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (or Five Nations Iroquois) of what is now upstate New York, raided coastal peoples who did not furnish wampum for Haudenosaunee rituals.
—National Geographic, 19 Nov. 2020
Many of his pieces are horizontal, recalling the forms of early panoramic art and the woven wampum belts that are a cultural touchstone of his people.
—New York Times, 4 Oct. 2021
See all Example Sentences for wampum 
Ben McGrath, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023
There is a really quite amazing scene when Civility and Satcheechoe take a string of wampum and wrap it around the Pennsylvania governor’s arm to symbolically pull him to Albany to meet with all the Native people who have become involved in this case.
—Karin Wulf, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2021
Not only were these beads a coveted status symbol, but the powerful Mohawk of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (or Five Nations Iroquois) of what is now upstate New York, raided coastal peoples who did not furnish wampum for Haudenosaunee rituals.
—National Geographic, 19 Nov. 2020
Many of his pieces are horizontal, recalling the forms of early panoramic art and the woven wampum belts that are a cultural touchstone of his people.
—New York Times, 4 Oct. 2021
See all Example Sentences for wampum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wampum
Noun
-
Gale says the group has used the money to hire a biologist and engineer who are studying their location data, in particular.—
Stephanie O'Neill,
NPR,
26 Jan. 2025
-
And then later, Elon Musk was saying those guys don't have the money.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
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After setting aside that initial pile of cash, however, 75% apparently goes to Trump’s company, and 25% gets split between other insiders, including the family of Steve Witkoff, Trump’s incoming special envoy to the Middle East.—
Dan Alexander,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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Listen to this article A man was arrested in connection with a robbery at a gas station in West Haven on Tuesday after he was allegedly found walking nearby with a stash of loose cash.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The token, hosted on the Solana blockchain, has been limited to a supply of 200 million coins at launch before expanding to 1 billion over the next three years, according to the coin’s website.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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Some sourness is lingering after Trump and his wife launched meme coins, which critics said looked like an unseemly cash grab.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Trump holds off on tariffs, cheering markets President Trump held off imposing broad tariffs on Day 1 of his presidency, instead ordering reviews of trade and currency imbalances.—
Andrew Freedman,
Axios,
21 Jan. 2025
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Leaders in the industry, including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, have lambasted bitcoin as a currency for criminals and fraudsters.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Mayfair 2023 Softcover Spiral Planner, $30.00 - Why this one: With their celebratory patterns and vivid prints, everything Rifle Paper Co. touches turns to gold and rightfully so.—
Cora Harrington,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2025
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The small, round diamond is hung on a 14k white gold chain that can be switched out for yellow gold or platinum.—
Christopher Murray,
Fox News,
30 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near wampum
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
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