add up

verb

added up; adding up; adds up

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

: to form an opinion of

added him up at a glance

Synonyms

• amount (to)
• come (to)
• correspond (to)
• emulate
• equal

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

By design, these episodes will never add up to a cohesive whole that might reveal the full truth of who Yohji was. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 July 2024

Related Articles Gunnar Henderson’s home runs add up to over 40,000 (so far) cheap pizzas for O’s fans The Orioles’ five All-Stars walked the red carpet ahead of Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic, and their fashion entering Globe Life Field was almost as impressive as their play on the field. —Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 16 July 2024

However, donations from nine political action committees to Rokita’s campaign added up to $33,500, and contributions from 14 outside organizations added up to $81,333. —Nadia Scharf, The Indianapolis Star, 16 July 2024

Trump faced maximum sentences adding up to at least 100 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines, if convicted of the charges. —Nik Popli, TIME, 15 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Kids Definition

add up

verb

1

a

: to come to a total and especially the expected total

b

: to make sense

her story just doesn't add up

2

: to amount to a lot

just a little each time, but it all adds up