totaled or totalled; totaling or totalling
Synonyms
Adjective
- absolute
- all-out
- arrant
- blank
- blooming [chiefly British]
- bodacious [Southern & Midland]
- categorical
- categoric
- clean
- complete
- consummate
- crashing
- damn
- damned
- dead
- deadly
- definite
- downright
- dreadful
- fair
- flat
- flat-out
- out-and-out
- outright
- perfect
- plumb
- profound
- pure
- rank
- regular
- sheer
- simple
- stark
- stone
- straight-out
- thorough
- thoroughgoing
- unadulterated
- unalloyed
- unconditional
- unmitigated
- unqualified
- utter
- very
Noun
Verb
Examples of total in a Sentence
Adjective
a total lack of support
a total eclipse of the sun
He demanded total control of the project.
What was the total amount of the bill?
the total number of words
The country has a total population of about 100 million.
Noun
a total of 25 square miles
that's the total for our wheat harvest this year
Verb
He carefully totaled the bill.
two and two total four
Recent Examples on the Web
Noel Murray, Vulture, 18 Nov. 2024
War could evolve into a game of purely mechanical fatalities, the deciding factor being the psychological strength of the human (or AI) who must contest to risk, or forfeit to prevent, a breakthrough moment of total destruction.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Detroit Free Press Staff, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
The first snow of the season stuck in Denver on Tuesday, totaling nearly 2 inches by 8:30 p.m., according to NWS snow totals.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2024
NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
Mortgage balances rose by $77 billion, reaching $12.52 trillion, while auto loans saw an increase of $10 billion, totaling $1.63 trillion.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Dallas News, 26 Sep. 2022
Phiaton rates the buds as offering 11 hours if continuous use, and up to 28 hours total with the charging case.
—Andy Meek, BGR, 22 Dec. 2022
See all Example Sentences for total 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
So his characters are often very rich yet also always somehow on the brink of total financial ruin.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 18 Nov. 2024
War could evolve into a game of purely mechanical fatalities, the deciding factor being the psychological strength of the human (or AI) who must contest to risk, or forfeit to prevent, a breakthrough moment of total destruction.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Noun
Vote totals were still coming in at press time Tuesday night.
—Detroit Free Press Staff, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
The first snow of the season stuck in Denver on Tuesday, totaling nearly 2 inches by 8:30 p.m., according to NWS snow totals.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
The second-year back totaled 157 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown in the victory and should continue to see heavy workloads with Moss out indefinitely.
—NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
Mortgage balances rose by $77 billion, reaching $12.52 trillion, while auto loans saw an increase of $10 billion, totaling $1.63 trillion.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adverb
Dunning upped his innings pitched total from 117 in 2021 to 153, which was the biggest marker of progress for him on the season.
—Dallas News, 26 Sep. 2022
Phiaton rates the buds as offering 11 hours if continuous use, and up to 28 hours total with the charging case.
—Andy Meek, BGR, 22 Dec. 2022
See all Example Sentences for total
Dictionary Entries Near total
Cite this Entry
“Total.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/total. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
total
1 of 3 adjective
to·tal
ˈtōt-ᵊl 
1
: of or relating to the whole of something
a total eclipse of the sun
2
: making up the whole
the total amount
3
: being such to the fullest degree
total ruin
4
: making use of every means to do something
total war
total
2 of 3 noun1
: a product of addition : sum
2
: an entire amount
total
3 of 3 verb
totaled or totalled; totaling or totalling
1
2
: to amount to
donations totaled $120
3
: to make a total wreck of
totaled the car
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share