add up
B1 (Intermediate)Informal to neutral in its 'make sense' meaning; neutral in its mathematical meaning.
Definition
Meaning
to combine numbers to find their total sum.
to make sense or be logical; to accumulate or amount to something significant.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a phrasal verb, it has both a literal (mathematical) and a figurative (logical coherence) meaning. The figurative use is common in spoken English.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both varieties use both meanings identically.
Connotations
The figurative meaning ('it doesn't add up') often implies suspicion or that something is illogical or inconsistent.
Frequency
The figurative meaning is slightly more frequent in American English in contexts like crime dramas or investigations.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
add [something] upadd up [something] (less common)it/that doesn't add upVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The numbers don't add up.”
- “It all adds up to trouble.”
- “Add up the score.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used when totalling expenses, revenues, or calculating quarterly results.
Academic
Used in mathematics and statistics; figuratively in logic or argument analysis.
Everyday
Common when checking a bill, calculating a tip, or expressing that a story seems suspicious.
Technical
Primarily the mathematical operation of summation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Could you add up these figures for the report, please?
- His excuse for being late simply doesn't add up.
American English
- She added up the total cost of the groceries.
- The evidence in the case just doesn't add up for me.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Add up the numbers: 5, 7, and 3.
- My bill added up to twenty pounds.
- Wait, I need to add up what I spent this week.
- His story about finding the money doesn't add up.
- When we add up all the environmental costs, the project is unsustainable.
- Her nervous behaviour and contradictory statements just didn't add up.
- The minor discrepancies added up to a major flaw in the research methodology.
- For the jury, the defendant's calm demeanour amid the chaos simply didn't add up.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a shopkeeper ADDing UP all your items on the bill to get the total. If the story a customer tells seems wrong, you might think, 'That doesn't ADD UP.'
Conceptual Metaphor
LOGICAL COHERENCE IS MATHEMATICAL SUMMATION (e.g., 'Her alibi just doesn't add up').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from Russian 'складывать' in the figurative sense. In English, 'add up' implies a *result* of logic, not just the *process* of thinking. Use 'make sense' or 'be logical' as a check.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'add up' to mean simply 'think' or 'consider' (e.g., 'I added up about the problem' is incorrect).
- Using 'add' without 'up' for the figurative meaning (e.g., 'The story doesn't add').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'add up' used in its figurative sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb. You can say 'add the numbers up' or 'add up the numbers'. In the figurative sense, it is usually not separated (e.g., 'It doesn't add up').
'Calculate' is broader and can involve complex operations. 'Add up' specifically means to find the sum total of a series of numbers. Figuratively, only 'add up' is used to mean 'make sense'.
For the mathematical meaning, often yes ('sum up these figures'). However, 'sum up' more commonly means to summarize. You cannot say 'his story doesn't sum up' to mean it's illogical.
Yes, very common, especially in the figurative sense. 'It doesn't add up' or 'Something doesn't add up' are frequent phrases expressing doubt or suspicion about logic or consistency.