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

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

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