total

UK: /ˈtəʊt^əl/ US: /ˈtoʊtəl/ ,(tōt′l)

Inflections of 'total' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

When both "l" and "ll" forms exist, spellings with a double "l" are correct, but rare, in US English, while those with a single "l" are not correct in UK English.

totals

v 3rd person singular

totalling

v pres p (Mainly UK)

totaling

v pres p (US)

totalled

v past (Mainly UK)

totaled

v past (US)

totalled

v past p (Mainly UK)

totaled

v past p (US)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

to•tal /ˈtoʊtəl/   adj., n., v., -taled, -tal•ing or (esp. Brit.) -talled, -tal•ling. 
adj. 

1. of or relating to the whole amount of something;
   entire:
   [before a noun] the total expenditure.
2. of or relating to the whole of something:
   [usually: before a noun] the total effect of the play on its audience.
3. complete in extent or degree;
   utter:
   [usually: before a noun] a total failure.

n. 

4. Mathematics the total amount;
   sum:
   [countable] That brings the cost to a total of $50,000.
5. the whole:
   [uncountable* in + ~] There were several thousand people there in total.

v. 

6. Mathematics to bring to a total;
   add up:
   [~ + object] He totaled the three columns.
7. to reach a total of;
   amount to: [~ + object; no passive]
   The money totaled over fifty thousand dollars in cash.
   [~ + to + object]
   The money totaled to over fifty thousand dollars.
8. Slang Terms to wreck beyond repair:
   [~ + object] He totaled his car in the accident.

to•tal•ly, adv. 

: You're totally crazy to think that.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

to•tal  (tōt′l), adj., n., v., -taled, -tal•ing or (esp. Brit.) -talled, -tal•ling. 
adj. 

1. constituting or comprising the whole;
   entire;
   whole:
   the total expenditure.
2. of or pertaining to the whole of something:
   the total effect of a play.
3. complete in extent or degree;
   absolute;
   unqualified;
   utter:
   a total failure.
4. involving all aspects, elements, participants, resources, etc.;
   unqualified;
   all-out:
   total war.

n. 

5. the total amount;
   sum;
   aggregate:
   a total of $200.
6. the whole;
   an entirety:
   the impressive total of Mozart's achievement.

v.t. 

7. to bring to a total;
   add up.
8. to reach a total of;
   amount to.
9. [Slang] . to wreck or demolish completely:
   He totaled his new car in the accident.

v.i. 

10. to amount (often fol. by to).

• Medieval Latin tōtālis, equivalent. to Latin tōt(us) entire + -ālis -al¹
• Middle English (adjective, adjectival) 1350–1400

Synonyms

• 1. complete.
• 5, 6. gross, totality.
• 6. See whole.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

total / ˈtəʊt^əl/ noun

1. the whole, esp regarded as the complete sum of a number of parts

adjective

1. complete; absolute
2. (prenominal) being or related to a total: the total number of passengers

verb ( -tals, -talling, -talled) ( -tals, -taling, -taled)

1. when intr, sometimes followed by to: to amount: to total six pounds
2. (transitive) to add up

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French, from Medieval Latin tōtālis, from Latin tōtus all

ˈtotally adverb