add up
verb
added up; adding up; adds up
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
: to form an opinion of
added him up at a glance
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
See All Example Sentences for add up
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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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
See All Example Sentences for add up
Cite this Entry
“Add up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/add%20up. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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