English Reference
verb · noun

tally

v. · n.
US /ˈtæɫi/ UK /tˈæli/ tal·ly UK spelling tallied, tallies, tallying

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to match or agree with another piece of information.

    v.to correspond or agree with another set of data or a previous account. Often used intransitively with the preposition 'with'.

    Simple

    The numbers in his report don't tally with the bank statement.

    In context

    The witness's testimony failed to tally with the forensic evidence gathered at the scene, leading the investigators to suspect a false statement.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the preposition 'with'.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to count a large number of things or calculate a total.

    v.to calculate a total or record a count of items. Transitive when used to describe the act of summing up.

    Simple

    The staff spent the evening tallying the votes from the election.

    In context

    After the final shipment arrived, the warehouse manager spent hours tallying the inventory to ensure no crates were missing.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a record of a score or the total number of something.

    n.a continuous record or count of a score, debt, or quantity.

    Simple

    Keep a tally of how many people enter the building today.

    In context

    The referee kept a running tally of the fouls committed by each team throughout the championship match.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency TechnicalBritish English Science

    n.the ribbon on a sailor's hat that shows the name of their ship.

    n.a ribbon worn on a sailor's cap, typically inscribed with the name of the ship or naval division.

    Simple

    The sailor straightened the tally on his cap before the inspection.

    In context

    Tradition dictates that the ship's name on the cap tally must be perfectly centered above the wearer's forehead.

His 32 appearances in all competitions last season took his tally to 156 in our colours.

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026

Only four Ligue 1 players tallied more secondary chances created (that’s the pass before the pass that creates a chance) than his 31.

The Guardian· 20 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated