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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

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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

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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

Confirming moons beyond our Solar System would do more than add another category of objects to astronomical catalogs.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026

The interest rate on their Ipswich home loan could rise from 1.4% to about 5.3%, which, Dawn says, could add "about £250 extra a month just for living in the same property".

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

The expansion, which includes projects in Texas, Indiana, Kansas and Connecticut, will directly add 800 U.S. jobs, the Montreal-based business-jet maker said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

A 19% drop in wholesale volumes on year is the main surprise, analysts add.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

I feel a little bad, so I add, “I did like my science teacher, though. His name is Mr. Carlson.”

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

"Women are raised in a different way," DeGeneres says, before sharing a personal moment about growing up in a neglectful home, and having OCD and ADD.

From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2024

“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

He has ADD and has always struggled to fit in, and now that he’s at a new school, he’s choosing to hang out with people who are not really “friends.”

From Washington Post ● Jul. 20, 2022

I didn’t pay much attention to ADD when I was young.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

"I now use a walking stick, experience severe back and leg pain, and have fallen numerous times. Losing my job has been so tough for my mental health," she adds.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

"These results are extremely exciting," adds Roberto Maiolino, professor at the University of Cambridge and co-author of the study.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026

Firms are keen to explore how they can support women "without their careers being held back", in a "wider shift" towards helping improve health and wellbeing in the workplace, he adds.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

In a milieu where every fold and crease, every millimeter of negative draft or change of curvature, adds cost, the S5 saves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

“If you show up at all the practices and games,” Quincy adds.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Over the same period, they added 358,000 jobs in management and business and financial operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

Cooper added more costumes as new Disney movies came out, as well as updating the old ones, Caprilozzi says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

Those still without electricity have faced delays as the dangerous conditions were "limiting network engineers' opportunities to safely start the work", the ENA added.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

"I believe that there must be peace, stability, and security," added the 62-year-old, who has made the war in Ukraine a central theme of her campaign, promising to be a "president of peace".

From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026

“Well, in actuality, I do know,” she added.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

While older industries such as furniture making are shrinking, knowledge-intensive industries like aerospace, computers, electrical equipment and heating and cooling systems have been adding workers this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

Dawn lists the usual monthly bills, including their mortgage, council tax and energy costs, adding "there's no regular meals out or anything like that".

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

"We have promised the people of Mannar... that only projects already approved or under construction will go ahead," he said, adding that future wind farms would be built elsewhere.

From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026

These included updating the warming hut and clubhouse and adding a mountain bike park.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

He handed me a roll of bills and winked, adding, “By the way, I gave you a little bonus.”

From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm

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