amounted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "amounted" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the total or sum of something, often in a quantitative context. Example: "The donations amounted to over $10,000, which will greatly benefit the charity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Lord Adonis, the former Labour transport minister, said the speech amounted to "a systematic hatchet job" on the culture at Network Rail, adding: "I don't think I've ever heard a CEO be so critical of his own organisation".

The Guardian - Business

The Labor member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann, said Monday's announcement amounted to a broken promise.

The Guardian

Salmond will argue to his dying days – no doubt clutching a copy of a Guardian article from March 2014 which quoted an anonymous UK minister saying that "of course" a currency union would be formed – that the chancellor's intervention amounted to "bluff, bluster and bullying".

The Guardian

The evidence trail amounted to the easiest bust in the history of online piracy.

The Guardian - Books

You brought his life to an end without any motive in circumstances which you know amounted to murder…" Since his mother died, Ben Gunn had been forever escaping the rules and authority that had closed in on him, climbing out of windows, scarpering down driveways.

The Guardian

Rolf, Cut and Run, a report that Greenpeace published in 2008, alleged that Kimberly-Clark's sustainability policy amounted to greenwashing.

The Guardian

McKibben says: "BP's 'beyond petroleum' shtick was one of the great PR moves of all time, but it never amounted to anything – nor will the pious purring noises they're making now," he argues.

The Guardian

However, she denied they amounted to "immunity, exemption or amnesty from arrest".

The Guardian

Even at its peak, total spending on the programme amounted to only 0.8% of GDP, making it probably the most efficient employment programme ever.

The Guardian

Talks progressed until 12 February 1985, when both sides sat down to agree a new text that amounted to a "get-out-of-jail card for Scargill".

The Guardian

The Republican party chairman Reince Priebus, interviewed on Bloomberg television, denied the Iowa results amounted to muddle, saying such close battles were "not unusual on both sides of the aisle" and "all the excitement is on our side" on the way to the general election.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "amounted", ensure the subject clearly indicates what is being totaled or reached. For instance, "The costs amounted to $5000" is clearer than "It amounted to $5000".

Common error

Avoid using "amounted" without a clear subject. A sentence like "This amounted to a problem" is less precise than "The lack of communication amounted to a problem".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "amounted" is that of a verb, typically used in the past tense to indicate that something has reached a particular total or level. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in various contexts, indicating that the phrase follows standard grammatical rules.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "amounted" functions as a verb, signifying that something has reached a specified total or level. Ludwig AI affirms its grammatical correctness and widespread applicability. It commonly appears in news, formal business contexts, and science-related content, serving to quantify or assess value or impact. To ensure clarity, always specify what is being totaled and avoid using it vaguely. Alternative expressions include "totaled", "came to", and "added up to", suitable for various contexts. While largely versatile and safe for general use, precision and source awareness are recommended for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

totaled

Focuses specifically on the calculation of a sum or aggregate.

came to

Indicates the final result or outcome of an addition or process.

added up to

Emphasizes the accumulation of smaller parts into a larger whole.

equaled

Highlights the equivalence or correspondence between two quantities.

represented

Suggests a symbolic or proportional relationship to a value.

constituted

Indicates that something is composed or formed of specified elements, arriving at a total.

summed up to

Similar to 'added up to', but often used for more abstract concepts.

reached

Implies a process of growth or progression towards a final figure.

aggregated

Stresses the act of gathering separate items into a collective amount.

resulted in

Highlights the consequence of a process by specifying the resultant quantity, shifting the focus from the pure numerical value.

FAQs

How can I use "amounted" in a sentence?

Use "amounted" to describe the total when things are added together, as in "The total donations "amounted to" $1000".

What are some alternatives to "amounted"?

Alternatives include "totaled", "came to", or "added up to", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "amounted into"?

While "amounted to" is the standard and grammatically correct construction, "amounted into" is generally not used. Stick with "amounted to".

What's the difference between "amounted to" and "resulted in"?

"Amounted to" focuses on the total quantity or value, while "resulted in" emphasizes the outcome or consequence. For example, "The errors "amounted to" ten mistakes" versus "The errors "resulted in" a failed project".