add up to

Idioms  

1. Amount to, signify, as in The smooth airline connections, luxury hotel, and fine weather added up to the best vacation we'd ever had. [Early 1900s] Also see add up.

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Example Sentences

These acts of giving up—or giving in—are beginning to add up to something of a feminist revolution, albeit a very low-key one.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Added Diamond: “It’s crazy. Let one line reach. Let it not add up to anything and touch you.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

The forgone wages and benefits of these retirees add up to an estimated $201 billion annually and the loss of payroll contributions represents a $356 million hit to federal tax revenue, Implan estimates.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

In addition, their years of employment at the company combined with their age must add up to 70 or more.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

The dues she gives do not add up to a substantial person in my mind.

From "Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti" by Frances Temple