total

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "total" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it for a variety of meanings such as a number, amount, or entire quantity. For example: "The total cost of the project was $500."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"There is... a total lack of clarity as to how a government would proceed to unravel a relationship that has developed in complexity over more than 40 years.

The Guardian

Total silence.

The New York Times

Share a total of five items.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Since launching its US and Australia digital editions in 2011 and 2013 respectively, traffic from outside of the UK now represents over two-thirds of the Guardian's total digital audience.

The Guardian

Since launching its US and Australia digital editions in 2011 and 2013 respectively, traffic from outside of the UK now represents around two-thirds of the Guardian's total digital audience.

The Guardian

Sheila Scott, chief executive of the National Care Association, which represents many smaller care home providers, said care costs could in many instances be approaching two-thirds of total fees because of the growing dependency of people entering residential care.

The Guardian

We would be walking for around five hours in total that day.

The Guardian - Travel

A total of £1.3m was spent on flights in 2013-14 and 2104-15 but £32m was spent on rail travel during that period.

The Guardian

Far more fossil fuels – about 2650GT – are held by state-owned companies, meaning that in total there are four to five times more fossil fuels in existing reserves than can be safely burned.

The Guardian

In Iowa, the memo notes, the campaign has a "lead in vote-by-mail ballots cast, in-person early voting, total voting and total ballots requested".

The Guardian

In total, 258,000 workers – about 25% of Qatar's migrant labourer population – will be housed, officials said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For clarity, especially in technical writing, specify the units of measurement when discussing "total" amounts (e.g., "total revenue in USD", "total weight in kilograms").

Common error

Avoid using "total" as a verb when a more precise verb like "sum", "add up to", or "amount to" would be appropriate. For example, instead of saying "The expenses totaled $500", say "The expenses amounted to $500".

Linguistic Context

The word "total" functions as a noun, adjective, and verb. As a noun, it represents a sum. As an adjective, it describes something complete or entire. As a verb, it means to calculate the sum or amount to. Ludwig AI confirms its flexible usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "total" is a versatile term that functions as a noun, adjective, and verb, commonly used to denote the sum of something, its entirety, or to perform the act of summing. According to Ludwig AI, its grammatical status is correct. It appears most frequently in the context of News & Media. When seeking alternatives, consider words like "sum", "entirety", or "aggregate", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. To ensure clarity, always specify the units of measurement when discussing "total" amounts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Sum

Focuses specifically on the result of addition or aggregation.

Entirety

Emphasizes the completeness or wholeness of something.

Aggregate

Highlights the combined amount of multiple items.

Overall

Refers to the whole or comprehensive view of something.

Comprehensive

Indicates that something is complete and includes all necessary elements.

Complete

Stresses the lack of anything missing or unfinished.

Full

Highlights the maximum capacity or extent of something.

Utter

Emphasizes the absolute or extreme nature of something.

Absolute

Indicates that something is without any limitations or conditions.

The whole

Refers to all of something, without any parts excluded.

FAQs

How can I use "total" in a sentence?

You can use "total" as a noun (e.g., "The total came to $100"), a verb (e.g., "They totaled the expenses"), or an adjective (e.g., "the total amount").

What words can I use instead of "total"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "sum", "entirety", or "aggregate".

Is it correct to say "the total of" or "the total is"?

Both are correct. "The total of" is typically followed by a list of items being summed (e.g., "The total of the bills is $500"), while "the total is" is followed by the final amount (e.g., "The total is $500").

What is the difference between "total" and "aggregate"?

"Total" refers to the complete sum or amount, while "aggregate" refers to a combined amount from multiple sources or components.