as in math
the act or process of performing mathematical operations to find a value
I haven't actually done the arithmetic yet, but I suspect we're losing money on the deal
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Recent Examples of arithmetic
The cold arithmetic of politics suggests none of these options end well.
—
Bobby Ghosh, Time, 20 Jan. 2026
Using basic arithmetic, that means the Nuggets outscored the Bucks by 20 points in the 15 minutes that Antetokounmpo sat on the bench on Sunday.
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
That same arithmetic now applies to stylists, especially as designers increasingly pay them directly and competition for top clients intensifies.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Jan. 2026
The arithmetic of loss never makes sense to me—who stays, who goes, and when.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arithmetic
Bobby Ghosh, Time, 20 Jan. 2026
Using basic arithmetic, that means the Nuggets outscored the Bucks by 20 points in the 15 minutes that Antetokounmpo sat on the bench on Sunday.
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
That same arithmetic now applies to stylists, especially as designers increasingly pay them directly and competition for top clients intensifies.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Jan. 2026
The arithmetic of loss never makes sense to me—who stays, who goes, and when.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arithmetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arithmetic
Noun
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Clifton, New Jersey — At Clifton High School in Clifton, New Jersey, senior Gianna Colon is a three-sport athlete, sophomore Sebastian Fazio loves math and baseball, and sophomore Hamza Ramach is in band and is a goalie on the school hockey team.—
Meg Oliver,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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Drones cost a fraction of the weapons needed to shoot them down, a math problem that has vexed military planners for years.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When adjusting the calculation for Texas’ median income, the annual cost drops to about $9,351, reflecting differences in earnings between Texas and the national average.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Mar. 2026
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This reduced the problem to a finite number of calculations — at least in theory.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arithmetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arithmetic. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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