amount

1 of 2

verb

ə-ˈmau̇nt 

amounted; amounting; amounts

intransitive verb

1

a

: to be the same in meaning or effect as

acts that amount to treason

b

: to reach in kind or quality : to turn out to be

wanted her son to amount to something [=to be successful]

The changes don't really amount to much. [=are not really substantial or significant]

2

: to reach a total : add up

The bill amounts to $10.

amount

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: the total number or quantity : aggregate

trying to figure the amount of time it will take

b

: the quantity at hand or under consideration

has an enormous amount of energy

2

: the whole effect, significance, or import

3

accounting : a principal sum and the interest on it

Amount vs. Number: Usage Guide

Number is regularly used with count nouns

a large number of mistakes

any number of times

while amount is mainly used with mass nouns.

annual amount of rainfall

a substantial amount of money

The use of amount with count nouns has been frequently criticized; it usually occurs when the number of things is thought of as a mass or collection

glad to furnish any amount of black pebbles

—New Yorker

a substantial amount of film offers

—Lily Tomlin

or when money is involved.

a substantial amount of loans

—E. R. Black

Synonyms

Verb

• add up (to)
• aggregate
• come (to)
• count (up to)
• number
• sum (to or into)
• total

Noun

• measure
• quantity
• quantum
• volume

Examples of amount in a Sentence

Noun

The drug is not being produced in adequate amounts.

What is the amount to be paid?

An amount was finally agreed upon.

The new law limits the amount a candidate can spend.

When he died we found he owed money to the amount of $250,000!

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

New precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 17 Apr. 2024

New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. —The Courier-Journal, 16 Apr. 2024

Through tonight: Cloud amounts and rain chances rise a bit. —A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024

No one in the Warriors’ playoff rotation played more than 23 minutes in a game that amounted more to a tune-up than anything. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

Snow amounts are subject to considerable change with the forecast still 3 to 5 days out, so keep checking back over the next few days for the latest thinking. —Allison Chinchar, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024

Household sizes determine recipients’ SNAP payment amounts. —Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Feb. 2024

New rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024

New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024

Noun

As the name implies, this skirt can be worn as part of your post-beach outfit thanks to its stunning print, stylish details, and maxi skirt length that provides the right amount of coverage for a restaurant or walk around the city. —Kristine Solomon, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024

Opt for species that researchers found to contain lower amounts of PFAS, such as tilapia, recommends Woodruff. —Brian Mastroianni, Health, 26 Apr. 2024

Given that Meta already has the advertising game figured out for these apps, using AI recommendations to increase the amount of time users are spending on them is a clear path to more revenue. —Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024

The only one available on such short notice was thousands of dollars more than my original rental, so Airbnb increased the amount of the coupon to cover the extra cost. —Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024

By reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface, the temperature in that location will effectively decrease. —Stephanie Ebbs, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2024

The effect gained almost instant popularity, and Johnson quickly reached the maximum amount of money the filter could generate through the program in less than two weeks. —Moises Mendez Ii, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024

On the water, the mixed oats can be broadcast as chum, and then a small amount can be formed into a bite-sized ball and molded around the hook. —Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 25 Apr. 2024

The arm cuffs are elastic for a lantern design that looks so stylish, and the slight V-neck shows a subtle amount of skin. —Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English amounten "to mount (a horse), increase, (of a sum, period of time) add up (to), come (to), be worth, be equal (to)," borrowed from Anglo-French amunter, amounter (continental Old French amonter) "to rise, increase, be worth, add up (to)," derivative of amunt, amount (continental Old French amont) "above, upward," univerbation of the adverbial phrase a mont "upward," literally "to the mountain," from a "to" (going back to Latin ad) + mont "mountain," going back to Latin mont-, mons — more at ad-, mount entry 1

Note: Alternatively Old French and Anglo-French amunter, amonter could be taken as a derivative of munter, monter "to mount" (see mount entry 2) with the prefix a-, usually forming transitive verbs. Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch lists the verb under both the etymon mons and *montare.

Noun

Middle English amunte, borrowed from Anglo-French, noun derivative of amunter "to rise, increase, be worth, add up (to)" — more at amount entry 1

Note: The noun is sparsely attested in Middle English and Anglo-French, and the post-medieval English noun should probably be taken as directly derived from the verb amount entry 1.

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing amount

• amount to
• amount to anything
• amount to much
• amount to something
• amount to the same thing
• no amount of
• not amount to much

Kids Definition

amount

1 of 2 verb

ə-ˈmau̇nt 

1

: to add up

the bill amounted to ten dollars

2

: to be the same in meaning or effect

acts that amount to treason

amount

2 of 2 noun

1

: the total number or quantity : aggregate

the amount to be paid

2

: a given or particular quantity or number

add the same amount to both columns