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
  • That was in part to force the fathers to pay child maintenance, thus saving taxpayers’ money, but also supposedly to save the souls of both parents.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The page’s owners pled guilty to state criminal charges of conspiracy and money laundering, leading to the site’s shutdown in 2018.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of money
Noun
  • The hike of 25 basis points to the cash rate was in line with expectations by economists polled by Reuters.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Relying purely on cash reserves is no longer viable when ownership utilizes revolving institutional liquidity.
    — Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of cash
Noun
  • Pouch cell retains 78% capacity Researchers also built a small, single-layer pouch cell to demonstrate the chemistry beyond the coin cells typically used in early-stage battery research.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The hoard includes coins from present-day Sweden, Britain and Germany, as well as dirhams originating from areas that are now part of Turkey and Iran.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of coin
Noun
  • Argentina's Treasury faces nearly $25 billion in foreign-currency debt payments coming due in 2027.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, China is attracting more visitors with its visa-free entry policies, and Japan’s weak currency is drawing in a record number of tourists.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of currency
Noun
  • The bucks aren't playing around and will do some damage to anything that is in the area.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Brad Conley of Rogers has been sending us photos of bucks with impressive racks frolicking in front of my favorite stand.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of bucks
Noun
  • Then came the black finale, led by Polish supermodel Anja Rubik — a reversal of Yves Saint Laurent’s all-gold closing sequence in 1991.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Many speakers were especially concerned about the impact of an arch towering over nearby Arlington National Cemetery, and criticized the lack of input from veterans and gold star families in the process.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of gold

Browse Nearby Words

waltz (up)
wampum
wan
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Cite this Entry

“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wampum

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wampum

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