cumulative

[ kyoo-myuh-luh-tiv, -ley-tiv ]

/ ˈkyu myə lə tɪv, -ˌleɪ tɪv /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for cumulative on Thesaurus.com

adjective

increasing or growing by accumulation or successive additions: the cumulative effect of one rejection after another.

formed by or resulting from accumulation or the addition of successive parts or elements.

of or relating to interest or dividends that, if not paid when due, become a prior claim for payment in the future: cumulative preferred stocks.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of cumulative

First recorded in 1595–1605; cumulate + -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM cumulative

cu·mu·la·tive·ly, adverbcu·mu·la·tive·ness, nounun·cu·mu·la·tive, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cumulative in a sentence

That number brought the cumulative infections since the beginning of the pandemic to nine million, representing three percent of the US population.
We’re getting better at treating COVID-19|Rachael Zisk|November 2, 2020|Popular-Science
If we look at the cumulative new deaths in counties and then generate a weekly average across blue and red counties, we see that red counties became the main driver of new deaths in late September.
The Trumps don’t seem to understand that their supporters are dying from the coronavirus|Philip Bump|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
Since they’re wireless, cumulative battery life is also an important consideration, and some models even come with a carrying case that doubles as a charger.
Best wireless earbuds: Five things to consider|PopSci Commerce Team|October 30, 2020|Popular-Science
About 30 states and the District release cumulative counts by facility.
As pandemic raged and thousands died, government regulators cleared most nursing homes of infection-control violations|Debbie Cenziper, Joel Jacobs, Shawn Mulcahy|October 29, 2020|Washington Post

Since Congress last raised the minimum wage, cumulative inflation has reduced its buying power by 20%.
We need a G.I. Bill for frontline workers, the heroes of COVID-19|matthewheimer|October 27, 2020|Fortune
However, a series of “moderately problematic” provocations can, cumulatively, become a real crisis.
Netanyahu Must Rein in Extremists in Coalition, or Risk Derailing Peace Talks|Daniel Seidemann, Lara Friedman|August 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Taken cumulatively, the fruits of capitalism have produced an improvement in quality of life that was once unimaginable.
Consider the Washing Machine|Justin Green|September 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Yet each new book has a print run of 25,000 and, cumulatively, the books have sold more than 200 million copies.
The Books Powerful Women Love|Hugh Ryan|April 27, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Swiftly, cumulatively as with every intense nature impressions reproduce, this one augmented.
Where the Trail Divides|Will Lillibridge
The plan always works cumulatively toward par, never cumulatively away from par.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
That each should cover the whole, and that the words should be used cumulatively.
Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3|W. E. Gladstone
Cumulatively upon these conditions of despair, she began to wonder what the deuce this bally coot meant to do with her!
The Shriek|Charles Somerville
Two years of war had cumulatively desensitized them to thrills.
My Second Year of the War|Frederick Palmer

British Dictionary definitions for cumulative

cumulative

/ (ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv) /

adjective

growing in quantity, strength, or effect by successive additions or gradual stepscumulative pollution

gained by or resulting from a gradual building upcumulative benefits

finance

(of preference shares) entitling the holder to receive any arrears of dividend before any dividend is distributed to ordinary shareholders
(of dividends or interest) intended to be accumulated if not paid when due

statistics

(of a frequency) including all values of a variable either below or above a specified value
(of error) tending to increase as the sample size is increased

Derived forms of cumulative

cumulatively, adverbcumulativeness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cumulative

Origin of cumulative

OTHER WORDS FROM cumulative

Words related to cumulative

How to use cumulative in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cumulative

Derived forms of cumulative