add up
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/æd ˈʌp/
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To calculate a total, combine into an amount or result, or fit together logically enough to make sense.
Examples
The dates in the report didn't add up.
She added up the scores after the final round.
His alibi doesn't add up.
A few minutes each day can add up over a year.
I used a spreadsheet to add up the monthly costs.
Similar words
total
tally
total
make sense
accumulate
come to
amount to
reckon
sum
build up
Meanings
Examples
Can you add up these expenses before lunch?
She added up the scores after the final round.
The cashier adds up the bill by hand.
I used a spreadsheet to add up the monthly costs.
Add the numbers up again before you submit the report.
Similar words
total
sum
calculate
tally
compute
reckon
Examples
The extra charges add up quickly.
Their donations added up to more than expected.
A few minutes each day can add up over a year.
The delays added up to a serious problem.
The numbers add up to exactly one hundred.
Similar words
amount to
total
come to
accumulate
build up
combine
Examples
His alibi doesn't add up.
The dates in the report didn't add up.
Something about her explanation does not add up.
The evidence finally added up after the witness spoke.
If the invoices add up, the audit should be simple.
Similar words
make sense
fit
check out
hold together
square
cohere
Etymology
Formed from add plus up, where up marks completion, accumulation, or bringing parts into a whole.
FAQ
Add up means calculate a total, combine into an amount or result, or make sense logically.
How do you use add up with numbers?
Use it for calculating a total: add up the receipts, add up the scores, or add up the costs.
What does add up to mean?
Add up to introduces the total or result, as in the costs add up to $500.
What does doesn't add up mean?
Doesn't add up means the facts or explanation do not fit together logically.
Yes. With an object, both add up the figures and add the figures up are possible.
What is the third-person form of add up?
The third-person form is adds up, as in he adds up the numbers.
Yes. Small costs, efforts, or delays can add up when they accumulate over time.
Is add up formal or informal?
It is neutral and common in everyday speech, business, math, and reasoning contexts.
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