total 1 of 3

adjective

ˈtō-tᵊl How to pronounce total (audio)
Definition of totalnext
1
as in absolute
having no exceptions or restrictions had total power over the people of that country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in entire
not lacking any part or member that properly belongs to it gave us a total rundown of the events

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in thorough
trying all possibilities this was total war as far as the military was concerned, and no weapons system was off-limits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

total

2 of 3

noun

as in sum
a complete amount of something that's the total for our wheat harvest this year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

total

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to number
to have a total of two and two total four

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to add
to combine (numbers) into a single sum total all the receipts and tell me how much I owe you

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of a powerful hurricane totaled the house some years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word total distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of total are all, entire, and whole. While all these words mean "including everything or everyone without exception," total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered.

the total number of people present

How does the word all relate to other synonyms for total?

All may equal whole, entire, or total.

all proceeds go to charity

When can entire be used instead of total?

In some situations, the words entire and total are roughly equivalent. However, entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added.

the entire population was wiped out

Where would whole be a reasonable alternative to total?

While in some cases nearly identical to total, whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away.

read the whole book

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 total
Adjective
Tubi says one in six Tubi UK viewers watched creator content in July, accounting for more than 10% of total watch time in the country. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026 By combining central load absorption, multi-axis flexibility, and active retraction control, the Robotrax system offers plant engineers and system integrators a reliable path toward maximizing robot uptime and reducing total operational costs. — IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
Meir, who has a total of 49 hours and 22 minutes on EVA, now ranks third among all women astronauts at NASA for total number of spacewalks. — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Lemieux sat out three seasons battling Hodgkin's lymphoma before returning in 2000 to play five more seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins, adding 77 goals and 152 assists to his already impressive totals. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
The latest seven-book editions total 130 hours in all and 200 actors played over 500 characters across the series. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026 The group collected individual withdrawal pledges from Citizens’ customers totaling $25 million. — Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for total
Recent Examples of Synonyms for total
  1. absolute
  2. entire
  3. thorough
  4. sum
  5. number
  6. add
  7. ruin
  8. complete
Adjective
  • Almost all have private terraces or gardens, and the original frescoes and vaulted ceilings add to the feeling of absolute splendor.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This perfume features notes of cacao absolute and caramel, along with green hazelnut, jasmine sambac absolute, cedarwood, ambroxan, and moss providing a nutty and earthy element, too.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of absolute
Adjective
  • Therefore, analysts note that if extreme weather worsens water and power scarcity, the impact could ripple through the entire semiconductor supply chain.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Still, there’s a kind of hip, comfort food aspect to the entire enterprise that keeps it an easy, if slightly cluttered and overlong watch.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of entire
Adjective
  • Medical experts say a thorough screening is critical to preventing deaths.
    — Ryan J. Foley, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Most importantly, don’t be afraid to advocate for a thorough skin exam.
    — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of thorough
Noun
  • Billionaires can volunteer large sums of cash without being forced to do so.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The law helps level the playing field somewhat by letting candidates make their cases to voters who watch broadcast TV without needing to raise exorbitant sums of money.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of sum
Verb
  • The performances made history as the biggest ever open-air concerts in the UK (the crowd numbered 125,000 both days) and are often cited as representing the pinnacle of the Britpop era.
    — Devinder Bains, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The September list numbered 115 stocks, down from 121 in August and, of those, the firm whittled down the top 20.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of number
Verb
  • Instead, choose textured or handmade-look ceramics to add dimension.
    — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • City restaurants remain heavily weighted toward lunch, while suburban locations can approach an even lunch-dinner split and draw more families, prompting NAYA to add kids’ meals and develop family meals.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of add
Verb
  • The fight between a small Georgia community and tech giant Meta has escalated this week after four families filed a lawsuit against the company alleging a central Georgia data center project has contaminated their water and ruined their home values.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Gen, forgetting her swollen wrist, perks up at the thought of having a new person to ruin sheets with.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruin
Adjective
  • To defeat Iran would be a complete victory, not only for Israel but for the entire Middle East.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Those tests should reveal how well the modular architecture performs once individual components operate as part of a complete launcher.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of complete

Phrases Containing total

Browse Nearby Words

tot
total
totaled
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Cite this Entry

“Total.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/total. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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