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

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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
  • Chambers himself is now accused of riot, conspiracy to riot, and money laundering offenses, defense attorney Aitor Martínez Jiménez told the Washington Examiner.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Nov. 2026
  • So much of it is unfortunately about money now, more than ever before.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of money
Noun
  • Freed of a cash crunch, the Northern Illinois Transit Authority’s 2027 preliminary budget shows a significant boost in spending as the super agency powers up to deliver more bus and rail service for riders.
    — Marni Pyke, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Advisors typically recommend keeping at least three to six months of living expenses in cash for emergency savings.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of cash
Noun
  • The researchers then tested the electrolyte in experimental coin cells using lead and lead fluoride electrodes.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • But sometimes, in reality, they are decided by a midnight coin toss in a parking lot in front of Catfish Roundup.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of coin
Noun
  • Record the currency and date and get cancellation, refund and revision terms in writing.
    — Ascend Agency, Sun Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Just two years ago, Republicans boasted about their new currency with Black men and Latino voters.
    — Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, New Yorker, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of currency
Noun
  • Watch any video of bucks fighting, and pay close attention to the moments before the fight.
    — Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 10 Nov. 2026
  • During this time, mature bucks become increasingly active and less cautious to establish dominance within their territory.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of bucks
Noun
  • The two-room suite is located up the stairs in the main house, and is done up in a 2020s-does-midcentury style, with cherry wood paneling, macramé, hanging plants, and gold and honeycomb accents.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026
  • The outbreak was first detected in Mongbwalu, a gold-mining town of around 130,000 people in Ituri province in northeastern Congo, after the WHO was alerted on May 5 about an unusual cluster of illness and deaths.
    — Anthony W. Gambino, Time, 13 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wampum

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wampum

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