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• add
  add

  verb (used with object)

  to unite or join so as to increase the number, quantity, size, or importance.
• ADD
  ADD

  abbreviation

  attention deficit disorder: the inattentive subtype of ADHD, usually marked by distractibility and difficulties with executive function.

add

¹ American  

[ad] / æd /

verb (used with object)

• adds,
  present (3rd person singular)
• added,
  past participle,  past
• adding
  present participle

1. 

   to unite or join so as to increase the number, quantity, size, or importance.

   to add two cups of sugar; to add a postscript to her letter;

   to add insult to injury.

   Synonyms:

   adjoin, attach, append, affix

2. to find the sum of (often followed byup ).

   Add this column of figures.

   Add up the grocery bills.

   Synonyms:

   sum, total

3. to say or write further.

4. to include (usually followed byin ).

   Don't forget to add in the tip.

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verb (used without object)

• adds,
  present (3rd person singular)
• added,
  past participle,  past
• adding
  present participle

1. to perform the arithmetic operation of addition.

   children learning to add and subtract.

2. to be or serve as an addition (usually followed byto ).

   His illness added to the family's troubles.

noun

1. Journalism. copy added to a completed story.

verb phrase

1. add up to to signify; indicate.

   The evidence adds up to a case of murder.

idioms

1. add up,

   1. to make the desired, expected, or correct total.

      These figures don't add up right.

   2. to seem reasonable or consistent; be in harmony or accord.

      Some aspects of the story didn't add up.

ADD ² American  

[ay-dee-dee] / ˈeɪˈdiˈdi /

abbreviation

1. attention deficit disorder: the inattentive subtype of ADHD, usually marked by distractibility and difficulties with executive function.

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add ¹ British  

/ æd /

verb

1. to combine (two or more numbers or quantities) by addition

2. to increase (a number or quantity) by another number or quantity using addition

3. to join (something) to something else in order to increase the size, quantity, effect, or scope; unite (with)

   to add insult to injury

4. to have an extra and increased effect (on)

   her illness added to his worries

5. (tr) to say or write further

6. to include

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noun

1. informal an instance of adding someone to one's list of contacts on a social networking site, esp MySpace

   Thanks for the add!

ADD ² British  

abbreviation

1. attention deficit disorder

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ADD Scientific  

1. Abbreviation of attention deficit disorder

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• misadd
  verb
• readd
  verb (used with object)
• addable
  adjective
• addible
  adjective
• unaddable
  adjective
• unadded
  adjective
• unaddible
  adjective
• addedly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• adding
  present
• added
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• add
  simple
• adds
  simple
• have added
  perfect
• has added
  perfect
• am adding
  progressive
• are adding
  progressive
• is adding
  progressive
• have been adding
  perfect progressive
• has been adding
  perfect progressive

Past

• added
  simple
• had added
  perfect
• was adding
  progressive
• were adding
  progressive
• had been adding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will add
  simple
• will have added
  perfect
• will be adding
  progressive
• will have been adding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of add¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English adden, from Latin addere, equivalent to ad- ad- + -dere “to put” (combining form; see do ¹)

Origin of ADD²

First recorded in 1975–80

Explanation

When you add, you join two or more things together. If you add on to your summer cottage, you build an extra room that's connected to your existing house. If your boss adds ten dollars to your paycheck, she gives you the money in addition to, or on top of, your salary. And when you add a column of numbers, you combine each one in the list until you get a final answer. You might verbally add something by making one last statement: "I'd like to add that I can't wait to visit again!" The Latin root is addere, "add to, join, or attach."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

add ADD adds added adding

The findings add to growing evidence that nutrients do more than simply provide raw material for the body.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026

Scentair, a scent-marketing company based in North Carolina, claims customers in 119 countries, including many hotels, and says its creation was “inspired by a Disney Imagineer’s Idea in 1994 to add scents to attractions.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Why add the ability to charge higher costs?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

I hasten to add that it is not necessarily a criticism of these ETFs that they have lagged the broad market.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

“This is for your best friend, Titus,” I add.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Maybe, as certain people have suggested to me, we’re all a little ADD.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

The trivia phenom credits her laziness and ADD for her success on the show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2023

“I have ADD and I’m dyslexic, so learning a lot of dialogue was always very daunting,” said Saldaña in an interview prior to the start of the actors strike.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2023

"And with that comes increased risks of a number of diseases that should not be taken lightly — autism, schizophrenia, ADD, ADHD, imprinting disorders."

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2023

Ironically, the last time I was at UCI, I was in their Child Development Center being treated for ADD when I was eight years old.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

“We’re at this breaking point of not just being underground,” he adds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

“For the modern woman,” she adds to that thought, “that presents a problem.”

From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026

"The government should allow us to preach on the buses and alight when it is exiting Accra," he adds.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

"This work adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that persistent immune dysfunction may play a far larger role in chronic fatigue-related illnesses than previously recognized," said Prof Pshezhetskiy.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

When I don’t say anything, Dad adds, “And Steph said yes.”

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

“Total costs depend on many factors for a given task,” she added, “which can make it hard to forecast new and evolving technology with precision.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

"I find the prices now mind-boggling," he added.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

"No amount of whataboutery can justify it," Bhuyan added, according to the report.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

“I don’t think he should have given out Tom’s cell phone number,” Kennedy added.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

“And a coverlet too—so many rich colors,” Ba added.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

But he also said he is in disbelief; describing him as “the most honest, responsible, hardworking guy you have ever known,” adding, “I loved him like a brother.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

The five years since her father was killed have been "absolutely devastating and heartbreaking", his daughter told Kuenssberg, adding: "It's a very, very real situation that we're living with."

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

The Press Club of India said it was "shocked and dismayed" at the treatment of journalists during the protests, adding that the media "must be allowed to work freely, without fear".

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

Swanson said that FedEx and DHL had made the process “unduly difficult,” adding that he estimates that he is still owed around $5,000 from FedEx and $9,000 from DHL.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

It was meant to keep anyone from adding more coven members or becoming too powerful.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

Related Words

• boost
• continue
• include
• reply