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
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
Not only were these beads a coveted status symbol, but the powerful Mohawk of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (or Five Nations Iroquois) of what is now upstate New York, raided coastal peoples who did not furnish wampum for Haudenosaunee rituals.
—National Geographic, 19 Nov. 2020
Many of his pieces are horizontal, recalling the forms of early panoramic art and the woven wampum belts that are a cultural touchstone of his people.
—New York Times, 4 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for wampum
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
Not only were these beads a coveted status symbol, but the powerful Mohawk of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (or Five Nations Iroquois) of what is now upstate New York, raided coastal peoples who did not furnish wampum for Haudenosaunee rituals.
—National Geographic, 19 Nov. 2020
Many of his pieces are horizontal, recalling the forms of early panoramic art and the woven wampum belts that are a cultural touchstone of his people.
—New York Times, 4 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for wampum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wampum
Noun
-
There was no winner that night—there hadn’t been a winner for the past ninety-one drawings—and so the pool of money rolled over.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
19 June 2025
-
And sure, there are many reasons a brand might debut a more limited range: time, consumer interest, and money.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
MrBeast promised the largest cash prize in TV history for a similar winner-takes-all game show; his company was sued for allegedly poor treatment of the contestants during its production.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 June 2025
-
Since Weltman’s arrival, Orlando has traded majority of their second picks, but only to push them back to future years or for cash considerations.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
The interactive cash register uses a toy credit card, coins, a scanner, and a number pad to teach everything from shopping phrases to food, numbers, and songs.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
27 June 2025
-
Before 1985, the team picking first overall had been determined through a coin flip between the worst teams in each conference.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
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For short-form content, several episodes are usually available for free, while further episodes require a subscription or for audiences to use in-platform or in-app currency to unlock new episodes.—
Sara Merican,
Deadline,
26 June 2025
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Last week, the Senate approved the stablecoin bill, establishing a framework to regulate these digital currencies that are linked to the U.S. dollar.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
Buying a mouth full of golds with the first check from your part-time job (if not earnings from the dope hole) was the goal of kids in my orbit.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
23 June 2025
-
Most of my clients have about 6% of their money in SPDR Gold Share ETF (GLD), which represents a share in a large pool of physical gold.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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