What does "addition" mean?
The act of adding anything.
Addition
/əˈdɪʃ(ə)n/ noun
noun ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of adding anything.
- Grammar: addition is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: summation, access, accession, accession.
- Useful contrasts: physical deletion, simple subtraction, column subtraction.
- Usage evidence: To take an express train, we have to get an express ticket in addition to an ordinary ticket.
How to use "addition"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "addition" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "addition" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "addition" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "addition" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "addition" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "summation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "addition", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of adding anything. uncountable
"The addition of five more items to the agenda will make the meeting unbearably long."
- 2 the act of adding one thing to another wordnet
- 3 Anything that is added. countable, uncountable
- 4 the arithmetic operation of summing; calculating the sum of two or more numbers wordnet
- 5 The arithmetic operation of adding. uncountable
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 a component that is added to something to improve it wordnet
- 7 A dot at the right side of a note as an indication that its sound is to be lengthened one half. countable, uncountable
- 8 a suburban area laid out in streets and lots for a future residential area wordnet
- 9 A title annexed to a person's name to identify him or her more precisely. countable, uncountable
"[…]They clip vs drunkards, and with Swiniſh phraſe / Soyle our addition, and indeede it takes / From our atchieuements, though perform’d at height / The pith and marrow of our attribute[…]"
- 10 something added to what you already have wordnet
- 11 Something added to a coat of arms, as a mark of honour. countable, uncountable
- 12 a quantity that is added wordnet
- 13 an organic reaction where two or more molecules combine to form a larger one (the adduct). countable, uncountable
Antonyms
physical deletionsimple subtractioncolumn subtractioncounting back
Example
"To take an express train, we have to get an express ticket in addition to an ordinary ticket."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "addition"?
Common synonyms include: summation, access, accession, accession, accessioning, accessions.
How do you use "addition" in a sentence?
To take an express train, we have to get an express ticket in addition to an ordinary ticket.
How do you pronounce "addition"?
Pronounced /əˈdɪʃ(ə)n/.
Etymology
Sense of “what is added” dates from 14th century, from Middle English addicioun, addition, from Old French adition, from Latin additiōnem, accusative singular of additiō, from addō (“add, put”).