# add up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/add-up
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to seem logical or make sense. You also use this when you calculate the total of several numbers.

For teachers: to constitute a plausible or consistent narrative; also, to calculate the sum of a series of figures. The figurative sense is typically intransitive and occurs frequently in negative constructions.

## Examples

- The numbers in this report don't add up correctly.
- I've listened to his explanation twice, but the facts simply don't add up.
- Although the witness appeared confident, the discrepancies in her timeline meant that her testimony did not add up under cross-examination.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I can't add up his excuse." but "His excuse doesn't add up." — When 'add up' means 'to make sense', it is intransitive and the thing that is confusing must be the subject.

## Usage notes

- In its figurative sense, this phrase is almost always used in the negative to show that something is suspicious.
- Teaching tip: Help students see the connection between 'calculating a total' and 'facts coming together to form a logical conclusion'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.