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
-
Combs himself might have alluded to a propensity to stash money away in the 1997 hit that helped launch his rapping career after years as a producer and impresario.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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Opening Brands To New Strategies Beyond saving money, generative visuals enable entirely new strategies: • Localization: Tailor visuals to different regions (e.g., winter in New York, summer in Sydney) with just a few clicks.—
Zehra Soysal,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Noun
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The cash is transferred in minutes, though this depends on your bank.—
Julian Chokkattu,
Wired News,
10 May 2025
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The farm is 37 minutes west of Kansas City and is cash only.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
10 May 2025
Noun
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That’s how many people lost money on Trump’s meme coin, the Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.—
Zach Everson,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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And his whole presidency began with launching tools for bribery, meme coins to fleece working people and move around money in the dark, extortion settlements from media companies and law firms who gladly pay them.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Noun
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Cryptocurrency Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a bill, dubbed the GENIUS Act, that would have introduced some regulations on stablecoins, or digital currencies that are pegged to the value of a specific asset.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
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Stablecoins are privately issued digital currencies.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
8 May 2025
Noun
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Players will manage food, wood, stone and gold to sustain growth, while balancing peasant happiness through amenities like churches or bakeries.—
Jason Bennett,
Arkansas Online,
18 May 2025
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Made from soft pebbled leather and pretty gold or silver hardware, this bag blends practicality with style.—
Taylor Jean Stephan,
People.com,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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