1
as in absolute
having no exceptions or restrictions
had total power over the people of that country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in entire
not lacking any part or member that properly belongs to it
gave us a total rundown of the events
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in thorough
trying all possibilities
this was total war as far as the military was concerned, and no weapons system was off-limits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sum
a complete amount of something
that's the total for our wheat harvest this year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to number
to have a total of
two and two total four
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to add
to combine (numbers) into a single sum
total all the receipts and tell me how much I owe you
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a powerful hurricane totaled the house some years ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of total
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2025
Duxbury was led by Rhinesmith, who finished 13-for-20 with 143 passing yards to go with two total touchdowns on the night.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
No one has topped that single-game total since.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
In total, the Warriors rushed for 485 yards, with three players (Jones-priest, Cobb, and Trintavious Hayes) totaling over 100 yards on the night.
—Chris Winters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for total
Adjective
The Lions had 246 total yards and 46 rushing yards against Green Bay.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2025
Duxbury was led by Rhinesmith, who finished 13-for-20 with 143 passing yards to go with two total touchdowns on the night.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
Her group of friends all have young children as well, with 11 kids total among them, all ages 6 and under.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
No one has topped that single-game total since.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
Commissioner of Health Mike Totoraitis told council members overtime for his department has totaled $23,000, while Commissioner of Public Works Jerrel Kruschke reported $700,000 tied to his agency.
—Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
In total, the Warriors rushed for 485 yards, with three players (Jones-priest, Cobb, and Trintavious Hayes) totaling over 100 yards on the night.
—Chris Winters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for total
Recent Examples of Synonyms for total
Adjective
-
The first monthly jobs report released since McEntarfer’s ousting, the June jobs report, which initially reported a gain of 147,000 jobs, has now been revised downward to just 14,000 jobs in the July revision and now an absolute decrease of 13,000 jobs in the August revision.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
These genius finds are absolute miracle workers that not only cut down prep time and save space, but also make cooking a breeze.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The entire series is available on Disney+, and Season 2 has 12 episodes, between 45 minutes and an hour each.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
But to be honest, one pump of either doesn’t cover my entire big face.—
Jessica Hartshorn,
Flow Space,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Our department is committed to a thorough and impartial review.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Sep. 2025
-
There were too many instances of big plays that could have been prevented had the initial tackle attempt been successful, and at the very least, a more thorough attempt would have helped slow the ball carrier down.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And if a player is Premier League-proven, there is also less hesitation to pay big sums of money to other domestic clubs.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Love Is Everything, Latest Greatest Straitest Hits, and One Step at a Time kept him from increasing his sum of leaders from five to eight by just one space.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The island is home to the Shompen, an indigenous people numbering between 200 and 400, who shun contact with outsiders and are among the last hunters, gatherers, and cultivators.—
M. Rajshekhar,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The first wave will number five thousand kits, shipped free to applicants in high-need zip codes.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Testing in a model plant The team added the McG cycle genes to Arabidopsis thaliana, a small weed often used in plant research.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Vengathattil added that hospitals do not need to wait years to see the benefits.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Some hardware is brass-plated, which means scrubbing could expose the metal underneath and ruin the finish.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The strapless corset gown had a sheer illusion jacket embellished with pearls, and was paired with a cathedral veil.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Clad in a chain-mail dress with sheer stripes and waist-length hair, Wilson's appearance during the Chris Habana show was greeted with raucous applause.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Total.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/total. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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