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
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The guy is a total loser who spews hate against a President who won a Landslide Election, including the popular vote, all Seven Swing States, and 86% of the Counties across America.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
The two entered having played together in only 17 games this season, for a total of 249 minutes.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
In 18 minutes, Ingles totaled seven points, four rebounds and four assists while being embraced by his former teammates and coaches throughout the night.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 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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Adjective
The pilot who was receiving instruction had nearly 6,000 total hours of civilian flight experience and more than 200 in the last six months.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The guy is a total loser who spews hate against a President who won a Landslide Election, including the popular vote, all Seven Swing States, and 86% of the Counties across America.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
Brooklyn also forced five more turnovers, and Liddell kept stacking points, adding five more in the quarter to take his total to a career-high 17 points in his first 15 minutes alone.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
The two entered having played together in only 17 games this season, for a total of 249 minutes.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
During the past year, her statements totaled over $5,000.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
In 18 minutes, Ingles totaled seven points, four rebounds and four assists while being embraced by his former teammates and coaches throughout the night.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 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 10 Apr. 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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