as in math
the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value
I haven't actually done the arithmetic yet, but I suspect we're losing money on the deal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of arithmetic
The model appears able to do novel mathematics and accurately answer tough medical questions, but my own and other users’ tests also found that the program could not reliably count the number of B’s in blueberry, generate even remotely accurate maps, or do basic arithmetic.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2025
The headlines about reducing Social Security taxes offer short-term relief, but Americans should also consider the long-term arithmetic.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2025
The modular form’s numbers only had to be equivalent in the realm of what’s known as clock arithmetic.
—Joseph Howlett, Wired News, 27 July 2025
Pruning involves eliminating redundant parameters that don’t significantly impact accuracy, and quantization converts the models to use lower-precision arithmetic to save on computation and memory usage.
—Dwith Chenna, IEEE Spectrum, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for arithmetic
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2025
The headlines about reducing Social Security taxes offer short-term relief, but Americans should also consider the long-term arithmetic.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2025
The modular form’s numbers only had to be equivalent in the realm of what’s known as clock arithmetic.
—Joseph Howlett, Wired News, 27 July 2025
Pruning involves eliminating redundant parameters that don’t significantly impact accuracy, and quantization converts the models to use lower-precision arithmetic to save on computation and memory usage.
—Dwith Chenna, IEEE Spectrum, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for arithmetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arithmetic
Noun
-
Arizona State dominated stats That TCU led 24-17 with less than two minutes remaining in the game was one of those instances when the math didn’t add up.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Keeping her word, Adriana is initially on her best behavior, especially with Kiki, who pulls Adriana to apologize for putting a math equation on her birthday cake that gave away her age.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Quantum computers are extremely sensitive to errors, and bit-flips are one of the two main types that can disrupt calculations.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Bi described working with Jackson Yee, one of China’s biggest young stars, in terms that emphasized instinct over calculation.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arithmetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arithmetic. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share