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 of add up

• 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

Also know that beach chairs, umbrellas, parking, and resort fees can add up quickly, and some guests might find the historic rooms to be more charming than luxurious. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2026

It’s added up to plummeting trust and friendliness in communities that used to drive local economies and individual ambition. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 26 May 2026

Shopping around, comparing weekly ads, and taking advantage of promotions can add up to meaningful savings over the course of a month. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 26 May 2026

In Alameda County, officials said those will add up to about $9 million more per year. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 26 May 2026

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