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
Similar stories played out with other forms of money, such as wampum beads.
—
Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for wampum
Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for wampum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wampum
Noun
-
April 20 – May 20 A quiet hunch about money or timing could turn out unusually profitable today.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Taurus April 20 – May 20 A quiet hunch about money or timing could turn out unusually profitable today.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Spirit’s losses grew, and its cash pile shrank.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Winner may not substitute, assign or transfer Prize or redeem Prize for cash, but Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute Prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Retail prices for coins and bars typically include premiums above the spot price.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
Test your knowledge of remarkable road trips, cool coin collections and more in this week's American Culture Quiz.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Officials have advised energy conservation, cut growth forecasts and warned of fallout from high inflation and 17-year lows in the value of its currency.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
Gold coins can be a good fit for those who want to be able to easily liquidate their gold into currency, as bullion can require more work to authenticate and verify.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
At a time when a latte and a cheese Danish at a local Starbucks can cost you more than $10, McDonald’s is delivering a Sausage McMuffin for three bucks and selling oodles of them.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
The swift buildup of China’s nuclear arsenal bucks conventional wisdom on the limits of Beijing’s ambitions.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
And while larger masses of gold have been discovered over the years, all others have consisted mostly of intermixtures of gold and valueless rock.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
-
These artists used gold to suggest divine space, eternity, and spiritual meaning.—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
