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
Jerome said small changes—such as parking further away from your destination or taking the stairs instead of the elevator—also add up and count toward your overall daily activity.
—
Cyra-Lea Drummond, Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2025
Several small candies can add up quickly to the same amount.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Repetitive motions, awkward postures, and constant strain add up, often ending in costly musculoskeletal injuries that take weeks to heal.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Each case has an expansion zipper that instantly adds up to an inch and a half of extra packing space.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for add up
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Cyra-Lea Drummond, Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2025
Several small candies can add up quickly to the same amount.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Repetitive motions, awkward postures, and constant strain add up, often ending in costly musculoskeletal injuries that take weeks to heal.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Each case has an expansion zipper that instantly adds up to an inch and a half of extra packing space.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2025.
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