# amount

/əˈmaʊnt/ (US) · /ɐmˈaʊnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/amount
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. a total sum

noun · CEFR B1

the total number or value when everything is added together.

For teachers: the total sum or aggregate reached by addition.

- The total amount on the bill was much higher than we expected.
- The final amount owed includes the principal loan, the accumulated interest, and several administrative processing fees.

### 3. to add up to

verb · CEFR B2

to reach a total of a certain number or value.

For teachers: to add up to a specific total. Intransitive verb usually followed by the preposition 'to'.

- The small donations from the students amount to over a thousand dollars.
- The various small expenses incurred during the business trip amount to a substantial sum when viewed over the entire fiscal quarter.

Usage: Always used with the preposition 'to'.

### 4. to be the same as

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to be equal to something else in effect or meaning.

For teachers: to be equivalent to or tantamount to something in effect, value, or significance.

- Refusing to answer the question might amount to an admission of guilt.
- The minister's refusal to comment on the scandal was seen by the press as something that would amount to a tacit confession.

Usage: Used with the preposition 'to'.

## Examples

- I spent a large amount of money on my new car.
- The recipe requires a small amount of salt to balance the sweetness of the chocolate.
- Despite the significant amount of evidence presented by the prosecution, the jury struggled to reach a unanimous verdict after three days of deliberation.

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