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Synonyms

accumulative

American  
[uh-kyoo-myuh-lay-tiv, -luh-tiv] / əˈkju mjəˌleɪ tɪv, -lə tɪv /

adjective

  1. tending to accumulate or arising from accumulation; cumulative.

  2. tending to accumulate wealth; acquisitive.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of accumulative

First recorded in 1645–55; accumulate + -ive


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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It is likely a cultural behavior due to its limited distribution, and because the availability of rocks and trees does not guarantee the presence of an accumulative stone throwing site.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026

As for questions about her age, she said, "I have accumulative youth."

From Barron's ● Apr. 21, 2026

There’s something about AI being this accumulative source that is like what genre is based on — moves we make to move forward based on looking back at how structures and language are built.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2024

She said it was an 11.5% increase in April, and an "accumulative increase" of more than 30% since 2018.

From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2023

Quite apart from any question as to the hereditary transmission of acquired characters, we have in this intellectual transmission of acquired experience a means of accumulative cultivation quite beyond our powers to estimate.

From Darwin, and After Darwin, Volume 2 Post-Darwinian Questions: Heredity and Utility by George John Romanes

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