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Definition of totalnext
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total

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noun

total

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word total distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of total are all, entire, and whole. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

How does the word all relate to other synonyms for total?

All may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When can entire be used instead of total?

In some situations, the words entire and total are roughly equivalent. However, entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

Where would whole be a reasonable alternative to total?

While in some cases nearly identical to total, whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book

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 total
Adjective
Cities were then ranked by the total amount renters save each month by renting instead of carrying a mortgage. Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2026 Last year, the total water used (plus water lost to evaporation) was 3 million acre-feet more than what the river actually carried. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Noun
During his time at San Quentin, fellow death row inmate William Noguera reached out to a cold case investigator and told him Naso had confessed to killing a total of 26 women. Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacbee.com, 19 May 2026 Fox has not released subscriber totals for the nascent service. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 May 2026
Verb
Styles takes full advantage of the walkways — three of them spanning the floor lengthwise with one crossing the middle, totalling around 350 yards in length — and spent around half the show away from the main stage, almost constantly on the move. Jem Aswad, Variety, 19 May 2026 It’s expected to total about $190 million in 2026. Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for total
Recent Examples of Synonyms for total
Adjective
  • This news also positions IBM right at the absolute center of the domestic deep-tech landscape.
    Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 22 May 2026
  • The distinction is not absolute.
    Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Adjective
  • Nonetheless, neither Cubans on the island or outside of the country may be inclined to accept a change in leadership that stops short of ousting the entire regime.
    Chris Kenning, USA Today, 21 May 2026
  • Those who have ridden it before know Smugglers Run has always been responsive, perhaps too much so as inexperienced gamers could spend the entire attraction crashing the ship.
    Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2026
Adjective
  • Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a thorough investigation and accountability of those responsible following the explosion Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine in the northern province of Shanxi.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 May 2026
  • In the months after the crash, authorities conducted a thorough investigation to determine what caused the fatal incident.
    Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • Ratner and the First Lady have all defended the steep cost of the film, which cost $40 million to make and another $35 million to market – outlandish sums for a documentary.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 May 2026
  • Traditional preparations — Korean kimchi, Japanese miso, Eastern European sauerkraut, Central Asian kefir — have been refined over centuries to preserve the microbial communities that make these foods more than the sum of their ingredients.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Five of them will be white balls numbered 1 to 69.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 21 May 2026
  • The Clipper was previously called the NV100 Carry, numbering it neatly as the smallest in a van family that also includes the Caravan (NV350).
    C.C. Weiss May 19, New Atlas, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • The outlier in my everflowing makeup bag is a skin care-like formula that adds a noticeable glow and blurring effect—smoothing big pores and all.
    Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 24 May 2026
  • Private nuclear startups offer a different path entirely, one built on factory production, private financing and deployable designs that add new supply without forcing ratepayers to absorb the risk.
    Iulia Lupse, Sun Sentinel, 24 May 2026
Verb
  • But at the same time, film has always been a labor of love, and cutting too many corners could ruin the art form entirely.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
  • According to the researchers, even small variations can weaken the final structure or ruin an entire print.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
Adjective
  • The unfussy style features a sleek silhouette, complete with a scoop neckline and a moderate-coverage bottom.
    Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 24 May 2026
  • Alison Ortega threw a complete game with seven strikeouts in La Mirada’s 5-1 win over La Habra.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Total.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/total. Accessed 26 May. 2026.

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