Definition of cumulativenext
as in accumulative
produced by a series of additions of identical or similar things a cumulative weight gain of 20 pounds over the course of a year

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cumulative The reductions must reflect the cumulative unlawful increases. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026 And that's cumulative, including the time spent decorating and the time spent hiding during the Easter egg hunt. ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026 The Northwestern Mutual survey comes at a moment when Americans are coping with years of cumulative inflation. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026 Lead’s effects are cumulative, so people born in the 1930s and 1940s had the most lead exposure and the worst outcomes. Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cumulative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cumulative
Adjective
  • The accumulative stress in that area.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Szalay is an accumulative writer.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • While no single food or combination can guarantee perfect heart health, this study highlights how small, additive dietary changes like incorporating avocado and mango into your routine can be a delicious way to support your overall cardiovascular wellness.
    Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Capital allocation would become zero-sum rather than additive.
    Joseph M. Singer, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The company’s early history, written by the visionary Steve Jobs, has entered a new world, one where iPhones are making incremental advances while the technology surrounding it is in the midst of generational change.
    Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Apple’s latest iPhone software update is drawing attention—some of which is negative—not just for its incremental upgrades, but also for a shift in how users interact with one of its core apps.
    Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The flat logistic curve that makes the rising tide gradual also means the final climb toward 99%-plus reliability is a long one, a meaningful buffer for error-intolerant professions in law, medicine, and engineering.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Overall, Sosnowski predicts that a gradual warmup is forecast in most cases after a cool start to the week.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cumulative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cumulative. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

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