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
No self-pity in those four words, no performance of stoicism either—just the clean arithmetic of a life lived at full speed.
—
Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
With a sharp feel for political arithmetic and a slightly geeky approach to strategy, Hill-Lewis has cultivated constructive relationships with key figures in the ANC leadership, helped along by a personable, pragmatic style that plays well across party lines.
—Sam Mkokeli, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
This arithmetic explains why AI is being treated as a recession strategy rather than a moonshot.
—Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 26 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
See All Example Sentences for arithmetic
Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
With a sharp feel for political arithmetic and a slightly geeky approach to strategy, Hill-Lewis has cultivated constructive relationships with key figures in the ANC leadership, helped along by a personable, pragmatic style that plays well across party lines.
—Sam Mkokeli, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
This arithmetic explains why AI is being treated as a recession strategy rather than a moonshot.
—Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 26 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
See All Example Sentences for arithmetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arithmetic
Noun
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If Pantheon’s math bears out, the increase in gas prices would account for more than two-thirds of the firm’s projected 1% monthly increase in the overall CPI.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
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In just a few months, her daughter has advanced two grades in reading and math, which Cone attributes to the school’s personalized curriculum.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Athena frames the crossover appeal as something rooted in performance rather than calculation.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
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The new calculation, made at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) near Geneva, could help solve a niggling mystery about this particle’s mass.—
Clara Moskowitz,
Scientific American,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arithmetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arithmetic. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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