Synonyms of additionnext
1
: a part added (as to a building or residential section)
The addition expanded the kitchen.
2
: anything or anyone added : increase
The clerk was a recent addition to the staff.
3
: the act or process of adding
a recipe enhanced by the addition of freshly ground pepper
especially : the operation of combining numbers so as to obtain an equivalent simple quantity
schoolchildren learning about addition and subtraction
4
: direct chemical combination of substances into a single product

Examples of addition in a Sentence

The children learned addition and subtraction. The museum's collection includes several new additions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mitchell believes this upcoming season will be fun, too, after the Heat’s offseason addition of Antetokounmpo. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026 Schafer, who is not involved with the undertaking, said the likely approach is to have the century-old building continue to carry its own weight while building a new structural system to support additions. ABC News, 10 July 2026 For years, African leaders have argued that value addition should apply to minerals, not just raw ore. Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 10 July 2026 There are also exciting new additions, including Season 2 of The Undeclared War, and Season 3 of The Ark, scheduled to premiere on July 30, 2026. Paul Brett, Space.com, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for addition

Word History

Etymology

Middle English addicioun, borrowed from Anglo-French addicion, borrowed from Latin additiōn-, additiō, from addi-, variant stem of addere "to add" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of addition was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Addition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addition. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

addition

noun
1
: the result of adding : increase
2
: the act, process, or operation of adding
3
: a part added (as to a building)

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