amount

verb

\ ə-ˈmau̇nt

amounted; amounting; amounts

Definition of amount

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : to be the same in meaning or effect as acts that amount to treason

b : to reach in kind or quality : to turn out to be wanted her son to amount to something [=to be successful] The changes don't really amount to much. [=are not really substantial or significant]

2 : to reach a total : add up The bill amounts to $10.

amount

noun

Definition of amount (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : the total number or quantity : aggregate trying to figure the amount of time it will take

b : the quantity at hand or under consideration has an enormous amount of energy

2 : the whole effect, significance, or import

3 accounting : a principal sum and the interest on it

Synonyms Amount vs. Number: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More about amount

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Synonyms for amount

Synonyms: Noun

measure, quantity, quantum, volume

Amount vs. Number: Usage Guide

Noun

Number is regularly used with count nouns a large number of mistakes any number of times while amount is mainly used with mass nouns. annual amount of rainfall a substantial amount of money The use of amount with count nouns has been frequently criticized; it usually occurs when the number of things is thought of as a mass or collection glad to furnish any amount of black pebbles — New Yorker a substantial amount of film offers — Lily Tomlin or when money is involved. a substantial amount of loans — E. R. Black

Examples of amount in a Sentence

Noun

The drug is not being produced in adequate amounts. What is the amount to be paid? An amount was finally agreed upon. The new law limits the amount a candidate can spend. When he died we found he owed money to the amount of $250,000!

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Foreign banks’ assets in China have soared to $650bn, but still amount to less than 2% of the country’s total. — The Economist, "Financial links between China and America deepen, despite the trade war," 6 July 2019 McKinney remains in custody, and her bail amounts to $137,500, police said Wednesday. — Phil Helsel, NBC News, "Woman, 68, charged in Los Angeles area hit-and-run death of Holocaust survivor," 4 July 2019 In last year’s midterms, $1.6 billion moved through ActBlue’s portal, burying GOP candidates under mountains of cash from what ActBlue says amounted to more than 4.9 million donors with an average gift of about $40. — Karl Rove, WSJ, "The Democrats’ Tech Cash Machine," 26 June 2019 From July 8 to July 10, Scream will air two episodes a night starting at 9 p.m. ET, amounting to a six-episode season. — Marcus Jones, EW.com, "The long-awaited Scream season 3 moves to VH1, gets a release date," 25 June 2019 The cellular services will cost about $409,000 per year, and the passenger Wi-Fi portion will amount to a little less than half of that expense. — Courtney Astolfi, cleveland.com, "RTA board approves free passenger Wi-Fi," 18 June 2019 The building had already been turned into apartments, and the sale amounted to $113,750 per unit. — Meredith Cohn, baltimoresun.com, "Former Daily Record building in downtown Baltimore sold for nearly $2.3 million," 5 June 2019 That amounts to $188.24 per share, or a 45% premium to Allergan's closing price Monday. — chicagotribune.com, "Illinois-based drugmaker AbbVie to buy rival Allergan in ‘transformative’ deal valued at $63 billion," 25 June 2019 Mississippi’s attorneys insist that the Department of Justice is demanding adherence to what amounts to a limitless and arbitrary standard. — John Hirschauer, National Review, "Mississippi’s Mental-Illness Policies Are Working. DOJ Is Challenging Them.," 17 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Warren, for example, would forgive up to $50,000 in debt for every household making up to $100,000, and provide smaller amounts of relief for households earning up to $250,000. — Robert Verbruggen, National Review, "Myths of Student-Loan Debt," 11 July 2019 Possession of those small amounts will only be punishable by fines of no more than $130. — Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, "Hawaii decriminalizes small amounts of marijuana for January 2020," 10 July 2019 Together Could Increase Your Risk of Having a Stroke Caffeine powder is an extremely potent substance that should only be consumed in very small amounts. — Maggie O'neill, Health.com, "Caffeine Powder Overdose Leaves 21-Year-Old Dead—Here's What to Know," 10 July 2019 What happens when a police officer finds a small amount of marijuana? — Maia Anderson, Cincinnati.com, "New marijuana law takes effect in Cincinnati: What to know," 10 July 2019 Some candidates, like Biden, have focused almost exclusively on big-ticket donors, while others, like Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, have focused on a broad base of donors who give in smaller amounts. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "What Does Big Tech Want From Buttigieg?," 9 July 2019 Here, a small amount of coconut, sesame, sunflower or olive oil is swirled around the mouth for 15 minutes. — Josefine Hirschfeld, CNN, "Not everyone uses a toothbrush to clean their teeth -- here's what science says about the alternatives," 9 July 2019 Wells had a small amount of narcotics on him when he was arrested, Elliot said. — Robin Goist, cleveland.com, "Man charged in Akron murder arrested by U.S. Marshals in West Virginia," 9 July 2019 Rather, the brain takes in a very small amount of input data – like a photograph of a cow and a drawing of a cow. — Gabriel A. Silva, The Conversation, "Neuroscience and artificial intelligence can help improve each other," 9 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'amount.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.