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
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
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With Alonso on the market, the Red Sox could be more eager to add a power-hitting first baseman than to re-sign Bregman for more money.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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Dozens of legislators, senators and construction companies have been accused of receiving kickbacks with money that was supposed to go toward establishing thousands of flood control projects.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed due to the cuts, you’re legally entitled to a cash refund, not just some future credit.—
The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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The Portugal-Japan collaboration from Moon Road Media & Films received a cash prize of $30,000 from the two sponsors of the award — TCCF organizer Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and France’s Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC).—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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By day there are parades, rat control events, and grand juries to attend, but night is when the mayor comes alive, at crypto coin launch events, sweaty outer borough raves sponsored by a new credit card, and downtime at his pad in Fort Lee.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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The three faced off in two contentious debates in October, in which Mamdani and Cuomo sparred over issues of integrity and experience while Sliwa sought to paint them as two sides of the same ideological coin.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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African banks are fighting against foreign currency challenges as shortages and volatile exchange rates choke trade flows across the continent but digital platforms are helping.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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Its founder still speaks of love as the brand’s true currency.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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This timeless sweater dress is reminiscent of Cameron Diaz’s character in The Holiday, and you’re bound to look like a million bucks wearing it.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
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The Brockermeyer family is one of the most prominent football names in the history of Fort Worth, but its connection to TCU was severed over a few hundred thousand bucks.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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It was made of 18-carat gold and insured for around $6 million, according to AP.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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Rocky’s example showcases an 18-karat gold case and a black alligator strap that perfectly complements his black and yellow ‘fit.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wampum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wampum. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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