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
Relevance
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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for wampum
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
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
See All Example Sentences for wampum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wampum
Noun
-
Another person from the United States, Ciandrea Bryne Davis, has also been charged for their role in transferring money via cryptocurrency as a part of the conspiracy, officials say.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The operation involved multiple money laundering schemes, often involving cryptocurrencies.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Shortly before midnight, witnesses told police the man entered the banquet hall, grabbed a gift box that contained the cash and checks and then exited the building.—
Jack Moore,
ABC News,
6 Sep. 2025
-
If no one wins the jackpot, the cash prize will continue to tick up.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In April, Tillis called for an investigation into Cawthorn for insider trading in connection with his promotion of a Let’s Go Brandon meme coin.—
Danielle Battaglia,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Sep. 2025
-
But to those who hold them, especially in public safety, challenge coins are imbued with stories, camaraderie and honor.—
Divyaditya Shrivastava,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Revenue softness from tax cuts, coupled with a higher import bill due to currency weakness, could affect the fiscal consolidation of Asia's second-largest economy.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
-
In sales, trust is currency, and nothing burns trust faster than sounding unoriginal, lazy or shady.—
Don Markland,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That $20 bucks could’ve gone toward a plane ticket.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Sep. 2025
-
More than half of parents in the survey paid their kids an allowance, and 96% of parents used the Tooth Fairy to give their children an extra few bucks (average Tooth Fairy payout is $5 per tooth, the study found).—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Bryan Cranston is taking home Emmys gold once again.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Pan Am logos, gold paneling and the original reflecting pools are being restored.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share