Absolute vs. Total — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 30, 2023
"Absolute" implies something unconditional or complete in itself, while "Total" refers to the sum or entirety of parts.
Difference Between Absolute and Total
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Absolute" carries a sense of unconditionality and completeness, often used in contexts that require emphasis on totality without exceptions. Conversely, "Total" typically refers to the sum of all parts, emphasizing completeness as a quantity or a figure.
In usage, "absolute" can denote something that is not relative or dependent on other things, often conveying a sense of finality or certainty. "Total," however, is frequently used in numerical or quantitative contexts, representing an aggregate amount.
"Absolute" finds its place in philosophical or moral discussions, indicating concepts or truths that are universally valid. On the other hand, "total" is common in everyday language, especially in finance, mathematics, and where sums are calculated.
While "absolute" can describe concepts, values, or states of being, "total" is closely tied to numbers and measurable quantities. "Absolute" can also imply an unchanging or inherent nature, unlike "total," which is more about accumulation.
Both words convey completeness, but while "absolute" often has a qualitative aspect, "total" is quantitative. The usage of "absolute" might suggest finality or perfection, whereas "total" usually pertains to a complete sum or quantity.
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Comparison Chart
Connotation
Unconditional, complete in itself
Sum of parts, aggregate
Usage Context
Philosophical, moral, general state
Quantitative, numerical, finance
Nature
Often qualitative
Primarily quantitative
Implication
Finality, certainty
Accumulation, summing up
Common Usage
Describing concepts or states
Referring to numbers and sums
Compare with Definitions
Absolute
Complete in itself.
Her trust in him was absolute.
Total
Resulting in complete destruction.
The building was totally destroyed by the fire.
Absolute
Unconditional, not relative.
They demanded absolute silence during the ceremony.
Total
Comprising the whole number or amount
A total cost of £4,000
Absolute
Perfect or complete.
The performance was an absolute success.
Total
Complete; absolute
A total stranger
It is a matter of total indifference to me
Absolute
Unqualified in extent or degree; total
Absolute silence.
Total
The whole number or amount of something
In total, 200 people were interviewed
He scored a total of thirty-three points
Absolute
Not limited by restrictions or exceptions
An absolute right.
Total
Amount in number to
They were left with debts totalling £6,260
Absolute
Being fully such; utter
An absolute fool.
Total
Damage (something, typically a vehicle) beyond repair; wreck
He almost totalled the car
Absolute
Unconstrained by constitutional or other provisions
An absolute ruler.
Total
An amount obtained by addition; a sum.
Absolute
Not mixed; pure
Absolute oxygen.
Total
The whole amount of something; the entirety
The storm damaged the total of the housing units.
Absolute
Not to be doubted or questioned; positive
Absolute proof.
Total
Of, relating to, or constituting the whole amount; entire
The total population of the city.
Absolute
Of, relating to, or being a word, phrase, or construction that is isolated syntactically from the rest of a sentence, as the referee having finally arrived in The referee having finally arrived, the game began.
Total
Complete; utter; absolute
Total concentration.
A total effort.
A total fool.
Absolute
Of, relating to, or being a transitive verb when its object is implied but not stated. For example, inspires in We have a teacher who inspires is an absolute verb.
Total
To determine the total of; add up
They totaled the applications at 600.
Absolute
Of, relating to, or being an adjective or pronoun that stands alone when the noun it modifies is being implied but not stated. For example, in Theirs were the best, theirs is an absolute pronoun and best is an absolute adjective.
Total
To equal a total of; amount to
The week's receipts totaled more than $90,000.
Absolute
Relating to measurements or units of measurement derived from fundamental units of length, mass, and time.
Total
To wreck completely; demolish
The driver survived the crash but totaled the car.
Absolute
Relating to absolute temperature.
Total
To add up; amount
It totals to $25.
Absolute
(Law) Complete and unconditional; final
An absolute divorce.
Total
An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
A total of £145 was raised by the bring-and-buy stall.
Absolute
Something that is absolute.
Total
Sum.
The total of 4, 5 and 6 is 15.
Absolute
Something regarded as the ultimate and transcendent basis of all thought and being. Used with the.
Total
Entire; relating to the whole of something.
The total book is rubbish from start to finish.
The total number of votes cast is 3,270.
Absolute
Something regarded as exceeding or transcending everything else to the point of being independent and unrelated.
Total
(used as an intensifier) Complete; absolute.
He is a total failure.
Absolute
Free of restrictions, limitations, qualifications or conditions; unconditional.
Total
(mathematics) (of a function) Defined on all possible inputs.
The Ackermann function is one of the simplest and earliest examples of a total computable function that is not primitive recursive.
Absolute
Unrestricted by laws, a constitution, or parliamentary or judicial or other checks; (legally) unlimited in power, especially if despotic.
Total
(transitive) To add up; to calculate the sum of.
When we totalled the takings, we always got a different figure.
Absolute
Free from imperfection, perfect, complete; especially, perfectly embodying a quality in its essential characteristics or to its highest degree.
Absolute purity, absolute liberty
Total
To equal a total of; to amount to.
That totals seven times so far.
Absolute
Pure, free from mixture or adulteration; unmixed.
Absolute alcohol
Total
To demolish; to wreck completely. (from total loss)
Honey, I’m OK, but I’ve totaled the car.
Absolute
Complete, utter, outright; unmitigated, not qualified or diminished in any way.
When caught, he told an absolute lie.
An absolute denial of all charges
You're an absolute genius!
Total
(intransitive) To amount to; to add up to.
It totals nearly a pound.
Absolute
Positive, certain; unquestionable; not in doubt.
Total
Whole; not divided; entire; full; complete; absolute; as, a total departure from the evidence; a total loss.
Absolute
(archaic) Certain; free from doubt or uncertainty (e.g. a person, opinion or prediction).
Total
The whole; the whole sum or amount; as, these sums added make the grand total of five millions.
Absolute
Fundamental, ultimate, intrinsic; not relative; independent of references or relations to other things or standards.
The doctrine that absolute knowledge of things is possible, an absolute principle
Absolute rights and duties are such as pertain to man in a state of nature as contradistinguished from relative rights and duties, or such as pertain to him in his social relations.
Total
To bring to a total; also, to reach as a total; to amount to.
Absolute
(physics) Independent of arbitrary units of measurement, standards, or properties; not comparative or relative.
Absolute velocity, absolute motion, absolute position
Total
To determine the total of (a set of numbers); to add; - often used with up; as, to total up the bill.
Absolute
Having reference to or derived in the simplest manner from the fundamental units of mass, time, and length.
Total
To damage beyond repair; - used especially of vehicles damaged in an accident; as, he skid on an ice patch and totaled his Mercedes against a tree. From total loss.
Absolute
Relating to the absolute temperature scale (based on absolute zero); kelvin.
Total
The whole amount
Absolute
(grammar) Not immediately dependent on the other parts of the sentence; not in a syntactical relation with other parts of a text, or qualifying the text as a whole rather than any single word in it, like "it being over" in "it being over, she left".
Total
A quantity obtained by addition
Absolute
(of a case form) Syntactically connected to the rest of the sentence in an atypical manner, or not relating to or depending on it, like in the nominative absolute or genitive absolute, accusative absolute or ablative absolute.
Total
Add up in number or quantity;
The bills amounted to $2,000
The bill came to $2,000
Absolute
(of an adjective or possessive pronoun) Lacking a modified substantive, like "hungry" in "feed the hungry".
Total
Determine the sum of;
Add all the people in this town to those of the neighboring town
Absolute
Expressing a relative term without a definite comparison, like "older" in "an older person should be treated with respect".
Total
Constituting the full quantity or extent; complete;
An entire town devastated by an earthquake
Gave full attention
A total failure
Absolute
Positive; not graded (not comparative or superlative).
Total
Including everything;
The overall cost
The total amount owed
Absolute
(of a usually transitive verb) Having no direct object, like "kill" in "if looks could kill".
Total
Without conditions or limitations;
A total ban
Absolute
(of Celtic languages) Being or pertaining to an inflected verb that is not preceded by any number of particles or compounded with a preverb.
Total
Complete in extent or degree and in every particular;
A full game
A total eclipse
A total disaster
Absolute
(math) As measured using an absolute value.
Absolute deviation
Absolute square
Mean absolute difference
Total
Sum of all parts.
The total cost of the project exceeded expectations.
Absolute
(math) Indicating an expression that is true for all real numbers, or of all values of the variable; unconditional.
Total
Complete, entire.
The accident resulted in total damage to the car.
Absolute
(education) Pertaining to a grading system based on the knowledge of the individual and not on the comparative knowledge of the group of students.
Total
Overall amount.
The total number of attendees was impressive.
Absolute
Independent of (references to) other arts; expressing things (beauty, ideas, etc) only in one art.
Absolute music
Total
To add up to a total.
The items in the cart totaled $200.
Absolute
Indicating that a tenure or estate in land is not conditional or liable to terminate on (strictly) any occurrence or certain kinds of occurrence.
A freehold property is an estate in fee simple absolute in possession.
Absolute
(obsolete) Absolved; free.
Absolute
That which exists (or has a certain property, nature, size, etc) independent of references to other standards or external conditions; that which is universally valid; that which is not relative, conditional, qualified or mitigated.
Moral absolutes
Absolute
(geometry) In a plane, the two imaginary circular points at infinity; in space of three dimensions, the imaginary circle at infinity.
Absolute
A realm which exists without reference to anything else; that which can be imagined purely by itself; absolute ego.
Absolute
The whole of reality; the totality to which everything is reduced; the unity of spirit and nature; God.
Absolute
(chemistry) A concentrated natural flower oil, used for perfumes; an alcoholic extract of a concrete.
Absolute
Loosed from any limitation or condition; uncontrolled; unrestricted; unconditional; as, absolute authority, monarchy, sovereignty, an absolute promise or command; absolute power; an absolute monarch.
Absolute
Complete in itself; perfect; consummate; faultless; as, absolute perfection; absolute beauty.
So absolute she seems,And in herself complete.
Absolute
Viewed apart from modifying influences or without comparison with other objects; actual; real; - opposed to relative and comparative; as, absolute motion; absolute time or space.
Absolute
Loosed from, or unconnected by, dependence on any other being; self-existent; self-sufficing.
Absolute
Capable of being thought or conceived by itself alone; unconditioned; non-relative.
To Cusa we can indeed articulately trace, word and thing, the recent philosophy of the absolute.
Absolute
Positive; clear; certain; not doubtful.
I am absolute 't was very Cloten.
Absolute
Authoritative; peremptory.
The peddler stopped, and tapped her on the head,With absolute forefinger, brown and ringed.
Absolute
Pure; unmixed; as, absolute alcohol.
Absolute
Not immediately dependent on the other parts of the sentence in government; as, the case absolute. See Ablative absolute, under Ablative.
Absolute
In a plane, the two imaginary circular points at infinity; in space of three dimensions, the imaginary circle at infinity.
Absolute
Something that is conceived to be absolute; something that does not depends on anything else and is beyond human control;
No mortal being can influence the absolute
Absolute
Perfect or complete or pure;
Absolute loyalty
Absolute silence
Absolute truth
Absolute alcohol
Absolute
Complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers;
Absolute freedom
An absolute dimwit
A downright lie
Out-and-out mayhem
An out-and-out lie
A rank outsider
Many right-down vices
Got the job through sheer persistence
Sheer stupidity
Absolute
Not limited by law;
An absolute monarch
Absolute
Expressing finality with no implication of possible change;
An absolute (or unequivocal) quarantee to respect the nation's authority
Inability to make a conclusive (or unequivocal) refusal
Absolute
Without conditions or limitations;
A total ban
Absolute
Not capable of being violated or infringed;
Infrangible human rights
Absolute
Free from limitation or restriction.
The ruler had absolute power over his domain.
Absolute
In philosophy, something universally valid.
In their discussions, they explored the concept of absolute truth.
Common Curiosities
Can "absolute" refer to numerical values?
Rarely, it's more qualitative.
Is "total" used in philosophical contexts?
Not usually, it's more quantitative.
Are "absolute" and "total" synonyms?
They can be in some contexts, but they have distinct connotations.
Is "absolute" used in scientific contexts?
Yes, especially in concepts that are universally valid.
Does "absolute" imply perfection?
Often, it can suggest completeness or perfection.
Can "total" describe a state of being?
Not typically, it's more about sums and quantities.
Does "total" have a qualitative aspect?
It's mainly quantitative, focusing on sums.
Can "absolute" imply universality?
Yes, especially in philosophical or moral contexts.
Can "absolute" describe a total sum?
Not usually, it's more about an unconditioned state.
Is "total" used to describe complete destruction?
Yes, it can indicate complete damage or destruction.
Does "total" refer to inherent qualities?
No, it's about accumulation or sums.
Does "absolute" ever imply limitations?
No, it suggests being free from limitations.
Can "total" be a verb?
Yes, meaning to add up to a sum.
Is "absolute" used in moral discussions?
Yes, often in the context of absolute truths or values.
Is "total" more common in everyday language?
Yes, especially in contexts involving numbers or sums.
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Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
