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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wampum
Similar stories played out with other forms of money, such as wampum beads.
—
Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Elizabeth James-Perry and Erin Genia: Wampanoag and Dakota Adornment
James-Perry, honored this year with a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts, makes wampum jewelry, textiles, and maritime art directly tied to her Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal heritage.
—Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 25 July 2023
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
There is a really quite amazing scene when Civility and Satcheechoe take a string of wampum and wrap it around the Pennsylvania governor’s arm to symbolically pull him to Albany to meet with all the Native people who have become involved in this case.
—Karin Wulf, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for wampum
Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Elizabeth James-Perry and Erin Genia: Wampanoag and Dakota Adornment
James-Perry, honored this year with a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts, makes wampum jewelry, textiles, and maritime art directly tied to her Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal heritage.
—Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 25 July 2023
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
There is a really quite amazing scene when Civility and Satcheechoe take a string of wampum and wrap it around the Pennsylvania governor’s arm to symbolically pull him to Albany to meet with all the Native people who have become involved in this case.
—Karin Wulf, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for wampum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wampum
Noun
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In addition to hiring ambassadors, money will also go toward adding staffers in the security operations center, which collects feeds from more than 2,000 cameras, and security guards who are typically law enforcement.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
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Flipcause, based in California, was used by thousands of nonprofits nationwide to process online donations, allowing money to be collected on the platform before being transferred to individual organizations.—
Kelly Werthmann,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Without them, some important objects can remain hidden forever; a waste of human effort and money — and much of that sponsorship cash comes from taxpayer funds and the generous gifts of donors who trust the museum to share its collection with its community.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
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Money divested from Israel would be given out as cash gifts so that newly married couples could buy homes.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Saturday’s game against Illinois is projected as a coin flip, largely due to the emergence of All-American freshman guard Keaton Wagler, whose potential hadn’t yet been realized when the Huskies held him to just three points back in November.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
3 Apr. 2026
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No coins required — calls are free.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This occurred after tens of thousands of Iranians protested at the end of last year after their currency crashed.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
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To be sure, cracks in the petrodollar’s foundation is still far from the currency becoming irrelevant.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For some street vendors like Eric Parks on the North Shore, the return of the Bucs means bucks.—
Patrick Damp,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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No matter, this is his first real walk of shame, and the grin on his face is worth a million bucks.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The gold Mega Ball ranges from 1 to 24.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Bright pinks and blues are typical for baby showers, but white, gold and lavender will help keep the party classy.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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