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
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But by 1987, Foreman was running out of money and opted to return to boxing after a decade away, coming back to the ring to raise money for his ministries, his website biography reads.—
Mark Puleo,
The Athletic,
22 Mar. 2025
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With full visibility of health care prices, companies and unions would also be better equipped to save money on insurance plans and pass down those savings to employees in the form of higher wages and more take-home pay, allowing employees to offset the high cost of living.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Money isn’t everything Harris raised a ton of cash.—
Amie Parnes,
The Hill,
14 Apr. 2025
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Skilled thieves target specific homes and literally knock on the door and otherwise check to find a time when nobody is home, then the crooks burglarize the home quickly looking for jewelry and cash.—
Greg Fisher,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Super Nintendo World This colorful and kinetic area was mobbed, with families running maniacally through obstacle courses to collect digital coins using a Power-Up Band ($42) and the Universal app.—
Todd Anderson,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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The family-friendly party games and also more challenging adult titles should give gamers of all ages a reason to join Nintendo’s next generation — if only Mario would spare a few gold coins to bring the price down.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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For creators and small businesses, adaptability is the new currency, said Murad Salikhov, co-founder of Schwarzwald Capital, a venture capital fund focused on fintech and the creator economy.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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The central bank strengthens or weakens its currency against a basket of its main trading partners, thus effectively setting the S$NEER.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In 1940, the Duke of Windsor commissioned Cartier to create a flamingo brooch made of emeralds, rubies, sapphires, gold, diamonds and citrine that reflected his wife’s colorful character.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
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Frenchmen Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris are in black and gold, along with 2023 MLS Golden Boot Denis Bouanga.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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