wampum

noun

ˈwäm-pəm How to pronounce wampum (audio)
Definition of wampumnext
as in money
something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment made some real wampum on that last business deal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 wampum Today, Mohegan Tribal Elder, Beth Regan presented Alissa Pili gifts from the Mohegan Tribe including a wampum necklace to honor her journey into the @WNBA as and Indigenous woman. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 20 May 2024 Entering the New-York Historical Society from Central Park West, all visitors come upon a section of wampum belt and the kind of statement that in the last several years has become standard fare at cultural institutions. — Marc Tracy, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024 Similar stories played out with other forms of money, such as wampum beads. — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Some of their gear—a pair of shoes, a VHF radio, a wampum sash worth several thousand dollars—now resides on the canal’s bottom. — Ben McGrath, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for wampum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wampum
  1. money
  2. cash
  3. coin
  4. currency
  5. bucks
  6. gold
Noun
  • Higher mortgage rates are also giving buyers leverage to press sellers for money to buy down their rate for a few years or for the life of the loan, reducing their overall borrowing costs.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The halftime show began in partnership with The Salvation Army in 1997 as a way to raise money for the long-standing charity.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of money
Noun
  • The 2026 midterm elections are set to become the most expensive on record, as Republicans pour cash into battleground races to defy history and maintain control of Congress.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That allows rights owners to unlock cash from income streams that may continue for decades.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of cash
Noun
  • For instance, the outcome of a coin toss seems random at first.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • As a character Chigurh is particularly illustrative of this worldview, often reducing the fate of other characters to a coin toss.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of coin
Noun
  • Michael Kors’ revenue of $663 million equated to an 8 percent decline in constant currencies.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Ri spent three decades in Office 39, which earns and manages foreign currency for the leadership.
    — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of currency
Noun
  • Lula's victory bucks a broader rightward shift across Latin America in recent years.
    — Catherine Osborn, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026
  • At nearly 16 bucks, a three-street-taco combo at Serrano’s actually costs a bit more than a similar plate at a brick-and-mortar such as Taqueria La Flama.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of bucks
Noun
  • Young and the Panthers couldn’t capitalize on the iconic opportunity, though, and ultimately fell to the screaming green-and-gold parishioners, 27-19.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The action follows sanctions on Rwanda’s army and four senior commanders in March and on a Kigali gold refinery in June.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of gold

Browse Nearby Words

waltz (up)
wampum
wan
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wampum

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wampum

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wraith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All