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

• come (to)
• correspond (to)
• amount (to)

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

Over a few brisk quarters, dilution can add up quickly, leading to falling share prices, despite headlines showcasing high-profile bitcoin buys. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025

As Swift-ologists know, her lucky number is 13—the podcast was released on August 13 and her new album will be released on October 13 (or 10/3, which adds up to 13). —Martina Di Licosa, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Saitz also highlighted that even small discounts, like 38 cents-per-gallon off on gas, can add up to hundreds of dollars in annual savings. —Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2025

These can add up to nearly $4,000, which might give people sticker shock. —Liz Knueven, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Rhymes for add up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

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