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
-
Participants don’t get their scholarship money until passing their first semester back with C’s or better.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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One of the alleged victims, 95-year-old Angela Liriano, said she was left without money for food after her benefits disappeared.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The victim, Adbadalla Thabet, collected cash from gas stations in Downey, Bellflower, Compton and Lynwood early in the morning before driving to the bank.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
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The short-term spending cuts proposed to date are simply not enough to balance the budget anymore — not even with a one-time cash infusion from Albany.—
Ike Brannon,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The unlawful taking of items from a machine or device that is operated or activated by the use of coins.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Apr. 2026
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Now, bagel shops around the country are getting serious coin from investment funds.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The drop in Hermes shares was even steeper, last seen down 12% as currency fluctuations weighed on the firm's sales figures.—
Joseph Wilkins,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
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In finance, the gold standard fixes a currency’s value against a specific quantity of a specific object.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At the time of writing, its product page has two 4K sticks from Amazon itself available discounted down to prices below this one, and the powerful 4K Max is just five bucks more.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
16 Apr. 2026
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Turkeys will travel through pinch points in the terrain just like rutting bucks will.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This is a delightful new take on yellow-gold from the watchmaking mega brand that feels more tender than its classic hue, with warm undertones of grey and soft pink.—
Charlie Boyd,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
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Arab and Swahili traders sailed these waters on dhows, stopping along the coast to exchange goods such as ivory, gold, and spices.—
Ali Pantony,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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