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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of arithmetic
So drivers are now doing constant frantic mental arithmetic about when to deploy extra energy to go faster and when to recharge — at 200 mph, in traffic.
—
Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
What sounds like bad arithmetic is correct politics.
—Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for arithmetic
Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
What sounds like bad arithmetic is correct politics.
—Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for arithmetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arithmetic
Noun
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Zevik Glidai, a 78-year-old math teacher and volunteer ambulance driver, discovered coils of the translucent fiber-optic cables surrounding a drone that crashed into his backyard in the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona on April 13.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Burton brought in a stethoscope, a scale, and a thermometer so that children could use the numbers for a math activity and demystify doctors’ visits.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On Saturday of the event, nearly 30,000 attendees visited Julia Davis Park, according to calculations that account, at least in part, for repeat customers, Gilbert said.—
Michael Deeds
May 1,
Idaho Statesman,
1 May 2026
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Mayor Ron Morrison said the timing caught the city off guard after a mix up with the city’s calculation of Hernandez’s CalPERS hours.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arithmetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arithmetic. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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