cumulative

adjective cu·mu·la·tive \ ˈkyü-myə-lə-tiv , -ˌlā- \

|Updated on: 5 Jun 2018

Examples: cumulative in a Sentence

Definition of cumulative

1 a : increasing by successive additions

b : made up of accumulated parts

2 : tending to prove the same point

cumulative evidence

3 a : taking effect upon completion of another penal sentence

a cumulative sentence

b : increasing in severity with repetition of the offense

cumulative penalty

4 : formed by the addition of new material of the same kind

a cumulative book index

5 : summing or integrating overall data or values of a random variable less than or less than or equal to a specified value

cumulative normal distribution

cumulative frequency distribution

6 finance

a : to be added if not paid when normally due to the next payment or a future payment

cumulative preferred dividends

cumulative interest

b of stock : bearing such a dividend

cumulative preferred stock

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cumulatively

adverb

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cumulativeness

noun

See cumulative defined for English-language learners

See cumulative defined for kids

Examples of cumulative in a Sentence

… Game Boy, which first came out in 1989 as a monochrome handheld toy, has become the most successful of all of the systems, reaching cumulative sales of 110 million units to date … —N'gai Croal, Newsweek, 28 May 2001
They began looking at the cumulative effect of stress and realized that, while there might have been an incident that finally triggered the madness, a series of previous events had lowered the soldier's emotional resistance. —Michael Fleming and Roger Manvell, Psychology Today, July 1987
Insist on yourself; never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life's cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another, you have only an extemporaneous, half possession. —Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance," in Essays, 1841
a cumulative weight gain of 20 pounds over the course of a year

Recent Examples of cumulative from the Web

And, of course, the fundamentals of Italy’s economic situation have not changed — a cumulative debt of over 130 percent of gross domestic product, low growth, high unemployment, and banks with mounds of nonperforming loans.

— steven erlanger, New York Times, "A Day of Peril for the E.U.: Threats Emerge From the U.S. and Within," 1 June 2018
That may further support the idea that for brain health, the overall and cumulative effect of physical activity is what’s important.

— alice park, Time, "Here’s How Much Exercise You Need to Keep Your Brain Healthy," 30 May 2018
They are built on cumulative advantages, not unlike those setting apart a wealthy Mayflower descendant from the offspring of a family that has been poor for generations.

— reihan salam, The Atlantic, "The GOP’s Public-Education Dilemma," 29 May 2018
Deregulation has a cumulative effect: Workers become more vulnerable, and are increasingly forced to depend on the tender mercies of their bosses.

— sarah jones, The New Republic, "Trump’s War on Labor Now Includes Teens," 24 May 2018
The California Correctional Peace Officer Association's previous contract netted its members a cumulative 9.3 percent wage increase over three years.

— adam ashton, sacbee, "On his way out, Gov. Jerry Brown offers prison guards a big raise | The Sacramento Bee," 21 May 2018
Since the award is cumulative, Henry is already earning hours towards a gold medal.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Glastonbury Edition," 8 May 2018
The results are cumulative and Sente sought to protect the youngest children with underdeveloped brains and protective nerve coating.

— Washington Post, "Proposed Illinois ban on youth tackle football dead for now," 18 Apr. 2018
The results are cumulative and Sente sought to protect the youngest children with underdeveloped brains and protective nerve coating.

— Fox News, "Proposed Illinois ban on youth tackle football dead for now," 18 Apr. 2018

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