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

Anyone who loses will receive five bonus bets that add up to the initial stake. —Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025

The Bottom Line A simple swap like using a lower-calorie spread on your sandwich may not seem like much, but small changes can add up to a big impact on health over time. —Sarah Garone, Health, 17 Oct. 2025

This all added up, ultimately, to a third-and-10 handoff for fullback Adam Prentice. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025

Since relationships and partnerships drive the sign, the math adds up for Gwen to be a Libra. —Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 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