cumulative

adjective

ˈkyü-myə-lə-tiv How to pronounce cumulative (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 But Americans are also coping with years of cumulative inflation. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 18 July 2026 If the cumulative bonus is worth at least $10, the brokerage must issue you and the IRS a Form 1099-INT. — Dan Avery, CNBC, 17 July 2026 Humans will see the cumulative animation while running through the pages, but AI is still forced to look at the image on each individual page. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 July 2026 Niemeyer said establishing a cumulative building fund will help the county avoid paying bond interest and legal fees. — Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cumulative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cumulative
  1. accumulative
  2. additive
  3. incremental
  4. gradual
Adjective
  • The choice of Miami Beach as the festival’s long-term home is less accidental than accumulative.
    — Desjah Altvater, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
  • According to a new paper, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, accumulative stresses in the Earth’s crust in California are higher today than at any point over the last 1,000 years, raising concerns over the potential for a massive rupture in the Los Angeles region.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 10 June 2026
Definition of accumulative
Adjective
  • This combination of climatic, conflict, market and epidemic shocks are not simply additive but multiplicative, with each intensifying the other.
    — Peter Hailey, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
  • While automotive and marine oils may use similar base stocks, the key difference is in the additive packages.
    — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs And Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026
Definition of additive
Adjective
  • Even after accepting the invitation, attendees learned only incremental details, first the date, then New York City, then Manhattan.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 18 July 2026
  • That matters especially in the United States, where patient access, physician burnout and accelerating costs have all resisted incremental fixes.
    — Adam Farren, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of incremental
Adjective
  • The duration in days of a particular shower is somewhat arbitrary, since the beginning and ending are gradual and indefinite.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 18 July 2026
  • Curated by Our Editors There are more subtle effects as well—such as gradual changes in the shape of Earth’s orbit as a result of the gravitational effects of other planets—that make this calculation difficult.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 July 2026
Definition of gradual

Browse Nearby Words

cumulations
cumulative
cumulativeness
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Cite this Entry

“Cumulative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cumulative. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cumulative

Nglish: Translation of cumulative for Spanish Speakers

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