tote

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈtōt How to pronounce tote (audio)
toted; toting
Synonyms of tote

transitive verb

1
: to carry by hand : bear on the person : lug, pack
2
: haul, convey
toter
ˈtō-tər How to pronounce tote (audio)
noun

tote

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: tote bag
2
: burden, load

tote

3 of 5

verb (2)

toted; toting

transitive verb

: add, total
—usually used with up
… toted up his accomplishments …—G. P. Morrill

tote

4 of 5

noun (2)

: pari-mutuel sense 2

toter

5 of 5

noun (3)

tot·​er ˈtōtə(r) How to pronounce toter (audio)
plural -s
: one that totes

Synonyms of tote

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Verb (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of tote in a Sentence

Verb (1) toted his dog from the muddy backyard to the bathtub for a thorough washing
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.
Verb
Onscreen, this ethnic conflict allowed Ken-san and other kimonoed gangsters to be presented as pure, sincere, patriotic heroes fighting for traditional Japanese values against savage aliens as well as local, gun-toting yakuza. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 With rain beginning to trickle down, men and women toting cameras of various technological advances and capabilities traveled from end zone to end zone working to get great shots — either for the team, a news outlet or for an individual athlete. — Mcclain Baxley For The Ajc, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
The SoundLink Flex is sturdy and small enough to toss in a tote, and its sound quality is fuller than its size might suggest. — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026 It will be joined by limited-edition merch, including a sweatshirt and a tote. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tote

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

probably from an English-based creole; akin to Gullah & Krio tot to carry, of Bantu origin; akin to Kikongo -tota to pick up, Kimbundu -tuta to carry

Verb (2)

English dialect tote, noun, total

Noun (2)

short for totalizator

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1772, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (2)

1830, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tote was in 1677

Phrases Containing tote

Rhymes for tote

See All Rhymes for tote

Browse Nearby Words

to taste
tote
tote bag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tote. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tote

verb
ˈtōt
toted; toting
: to carry by hand
toter noun
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