amounted; amounting; amounts
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.
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
New Yorker
a substantial amount of film offers
—Lily Tomlin
Lily Tomlin
or when money is involved.
a substantial amount of loans
—E. R. Black
E. R. Black
Synonyms
Examples of amount in a Sentence
Verb
the expenses of the trip amounted to nearly double what we'd budgeted for
it makes no difference whether you're going to the game or the movies, for it amounts to the same thing—that you can't babysit
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
Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 4 Nov. 2024
New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible, NWS says.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 23 Oct. 2024
Edward Tuorinsky, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Does that make Kentucky the Southeastern Conference program that UT has the least amount of history with?
—Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for amount 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
New precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch possible.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 4 Nov. 2024
New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible, NWS says.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average amount of time employers can expect wage and salary workers to stay is 3.9 years, the lowest it’s been since 2002.
—Edward Tuorinsky, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Does that make Kentucky the Southeastern Conference program that UT has the least amount of history with?
—Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for amount
Dictionary Entries Near amount
Cite this Entry
“Amount.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amount. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
amount
1 of 2 verb1
: 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 noun1
: 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
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