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
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Some economists suggested last week's rise could be statistical noise, and the total number remains relatively low compared with history.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
While authorities said 11 of the 12 victims were killed in avalanches triggered by exceptionally unstable conditions on ungroomed backcountry slopes, The Associated Press reported a total of 13 deaths.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The voice vote of the amendment was challenged as a division of the house and a vote count totaled 41-55.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Garrett added 60 total tackles, tying a career high.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Some economists suggested last week's rise could be statistical noise, and the total number remains relatively low compared with history.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
The totals announced on Tuesday included viewership from the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital and NFL+.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
While authorities said 11 of the 12 victims were killed in avalanches triggered by exceptionally unstable conditions on ungroomed backcountry slopes, The Associated Press reported a total of 13 deaths.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
City officials had previously testified that the loss of three of the trees — for their cleanup and to replace them — would total almost $175,000.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The voice vote of the amendment was challenged as a division of the house and a vote count totaled 41-55.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 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 13 Feb. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
