cumulative

cumulative — 形容詞

1. building up gradually in amount, strength, or effect as more parts are added ove

1.形容詞B2
釋義

累積的

隨時間逐漸累積而增強的

building up gradually in amount, strength, or effect as more parts are added over a period of time — for example, the way repeated small doses of a drug produce a stronger reaction, or the way tiny savings grow into a large fund

例句

The cumulative effect of her night shifts finally made Adina book a holiday.

夜班帶來的累積效應，終於讓 Adina 預訂了一趟假期。

collocation: cumulative effect of [cause]

After months of practice, Naoko saw a cumulative improvement in her piano playing.

經過幾個月的練習，Naoko 的鋼琴彈奏出現了持續累積的進步。

同義詞
  • accumulating

    more verb-like; emphasises the ongoing process rather than the gathered result

  • growing

    broader scope; can apply to anything that increases, not only by addition of similar parts

  • mounting

    carries a sense of pressure or worry building up; more dramatic than 'cumulative'

反義詞
  • diminishing

    describes something shrinking or decreasing, the opposite trajectory

文法句型

cumulative + noun (effect / damage / impact / improvement / knowledge / rise)

用法筆記

Often pairs with nouns that name something measurable or experiencable — effect, damage, impact, improvement, knowledge, rise — where each addition pushes the total outcome a little further.

常見錯誤

❌The cumulative rain was very heavy yesterday.
✅The cumulative rainfall for the month reached 200 millimetres.
💡'cumulative' describes the total built over a period, not a single downpour.

2. relating to a figure that results from combining all previous amounts or contrib

2.形容詞B2
釋義

總計的

合計先前所有部分的

relating to a figure that results from combining all previous amounts or contributions into one final total — for example, the combined score after several rounds of a game, or the sum of all monthly sales for the year

例句

The cumulative total of donations reached fifty thousand dollars by midnight.

捐款的總計金額在午夜前達到了五萬美元。

collocation: cumulative total of [amount]

Devika checked her cumulative score after each round of the competition.

Devika 在每一輪比賽結束後都會查看自己的總計分數。

同義詞
  • total

    simpler and more common; 'cumulative' emphasises the step-by-step building process more than 'total' does

  • combined

    focuses on the joining of parts rather than the gradual adding; more literal

  • aggregate

    more formal; common in academic, business, and statistical writing

反義詞
  • individual

    refers to each separate part rather than the whole

  • single

    describes one item on its own, not the combined result

文法句型

the cumulative + noun (total / score / sum / number / cost / grade / sales)

cumulative + noun + of + [amount]

用法筆記

Typically modifies a numerical or measurable outcome — score, total, sum, grade, cost, distance, sales. Not used for one-off single items ('the cumulative price of this one book' is unnatural).

常見錯誤

❌The cumulative price of this single book is $20.
✅The cumulative cost of all her textbooks for the semester was $400.
💡'cumulative' describes a combined total, not a one-off price.