totaled or totalled; totaling or totalling
Examples of total in a Sentence
Adjective
a total lack of support
a total eclipse of the sun
He demanded total control of the project.
What was the total amount of the bill?
the total number of words
The country has a total population of about 100 million.
Noun
a total of 25 square miles
that's the total for our wheat harvest this year
Verb
He carefully totaled the bill.
two and two total four
Recent Examples on the Web
Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
It's projected to run 18 miles in total, 12 of which will be underground.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 30 Dec. 2025
Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Nacua, a Pro Bowl selection, finished the regular season with an eye-opening 129 catches (top total in the NFL) for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns.
—Mike Kaye
january 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
Arkansas Online, 6 Jan. 2026
From 2017-2025, Ham totaled 681 receiving yards and 119 rushing yards with eight total touchdowns, including one from the goal line on Sunday in the win.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2025
Hot 100 and 45 weeks total on the chart.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for total
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Historically, Colorado only builds about 20% of its total snowpack between October and the end of December, leaving the potential for 80% of this season's accumulation ahead.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
It's projected to run 18 miles in total, 12 of which will be underground.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 30 Dec. 2025
Noun
Top nominees included Sinners, which led in film with a total of 17 nominations, along with Netflix’s Adolescence topping the TV categories with six total nods.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Nacua, a Pro Bowl selection, finished the regular season with an eye-opening 129 catches (top total in the NFL) for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns.
—Mike Kaye
january 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
Parker, 6-0 and 205 pounds, totaled 93 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries as a freshman this season for the Wolverines.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Jan. 2026
From 2017-2025, Ham totaled 681 receiving yards and 119 rushing yards with eight total touchdowns, including one from the goal line on Sunday in the win.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
Collecting three weeks total atop the Billboard 200, Eternal Sunshine got a second life earlier this year with a deluxe edition released a few months after the November premiere of Wicked.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2025
Hot 100 and 45 weeks total on the chart.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for total
Cite this Entry
“Total.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/total. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
total
1 of 3 adjective
to·tal
ˈtōt-ᵊl 
1
: of or relating to the whole of something
a total eclipse of the sun
2
: making up the whole
the total amount
3
: being such to the fullest degree
total ruin
4
: making use of every means to do something
total war
total
2 of 3 noun1
: a product of addition : sum
2
: an entire amount
total
3 of 3 verb
totaled or totalled; totaling or totalling
1
2
: to amount to
donations totaled $120
3
: to make a total wreck of
totaled the car
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