Total vs. Gross — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 5, 2024
Total refers to the complete amount or sum of parts, whereas Gross typically signifies the entire amount before deductions like taxes or expenses.
Difference Between Total and Gross
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Total is a comprehensive term that encompasses the complete amount or sum of parts in any context, be it financial figures, quantities, or measurements. It represents the final sum after all calculations are performed. Gross, on the other hand, specifically refers to the whole amount of something before any deductions are made, such as taxes, expenses, or losses, often used in financial and commercial contexts to indicate earnings or weights before deductions.
When discussing finances, the total can signify the final amount after all additions and subtractions, including taxes and other deductions. Whereas gross income or gross weight indicates the initial figure before any deductions. This distinction is crucial for understanding financial statements and transactions.
In the context of calculations or aggregating measurements, total is the sum that includes all relevant figures, possibly after various operations like addition, subtraction, and adjustments. Gross, however, often remains a static figure, representing an unaltered total from which calculations begin, especially in financial accounts.
The terminology differs in application: total is universally applicable across various fields and calculations, signifying the end result of an aggregation process. Gross is predominantly used in financial and commercial contexts, highlighting the need to differentiate between pre-deduction figures and net values, which consider deductions.
While total encapsulates the concept of completeness in any numerical aggregation or finalization of accounts, gross serves as a starting point for financial calculations, emphasizing the importance of understanding the gross-to-net journey in financial analysis and budgeting.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The sum of all parts or the final amount.
The whole amount before any deductions.
Context
Universal across various fields and scenarios.
Primarily financial and commercial contexts.
Significance
Represents completeness or finalization.
Indicates the initial figure before deductions.
Calculation
Final sum after all additions and subtractions.
Starting figure for calculations, pre-deduction.
Application
Broad, including financial, quantitative, etc.
Focused, often related to income, weight, or sales.
Compare with Definitions
Total
The sum of all components or the final amount.
The total cost of the project exceeded the initial estimates.
Gross
Primarily financial and commercial.
Gross sales for the quarter were reported before deducting returns.
Total
Signifies completeness or the end result.
The report displayed the total impact of the campaign.
Gross
The entire amount before deductions like taxes or expenses.
His gross salary was mentioned before tax deductions.
Total
Applicable in various calculations and analyses.
The total volume of water was measured after combining two containers.
Gross
More specific than total, with a focus on pre-deduction figures.
The gross profit margin is a key indicator in financial analysis.
Total
Indicates the final figure after calculations.
The total number of attendees was recorded at the end of the event.
Gross
Often used to describe earnings or measurements before subtractions.
The gross weight of the shipment includes the packaging.
Total
Adaptable to different scenarios beyond finance.
The total score was calculated after the last game.
Gross
Serves as a starting point for net calculations.
The gross income is used to calculate net income after taxes.
Total
Comprising the whole number or amount
A total cost of £4,000
Gross
Exclusive of deductions; total
Gross profits.
Total
Complete; absolute
A total stranger
It is a matter of total indifference to me
Gross
Unmitigated in any way; utter
Gross incompetence.
Total
The whole number or amount of something
In total, 200 people were interviewed
He scored a total of thirty-three points
Gross
So obvious or conspicuous as to cause or heighten offense
Gross injustice.
Total
Amount in number to
They were left with debts totalling £6,260
Gross
Brutishly coarse, as in behavior; crude
"It is futile to expect a hungry and squalid population to be anything but violent and gross" (Thomas H. Huxley).
Total
Damage (something, typically a vehicle) beyond repair; wreck
He almost totalled the car
Gross
Disgusting or offensive
Don't you think slugs are gross? He told a gross joke.
Total
An amount obtained by addition; a sum.
Gross
Overweight; corpulent
"Sally is fat. She is gross. She must weigh twelve stone and more" (Margaret Drabble).
Total
The whole amount of something; the entirety
The storm damaged the total of the housing units.
Gross
On a large scale; not fine or detailed
Gross anatomical similarities.
Gross motor skills.
Total
Of, relating to, or constituting the whole amount; entire
The total population of the city.
Gross
Broad; general
The gross necessities of life.
Total
Complete; utter; absolute
Total concentration.
A total effort.
A total fool.
Gross
Pl. gross·es The entire body or amount, as of income, before necessary deductions have been made.
Total
To determine the total of; add up
They totaled the applications at 600.
Gross
Pl. gross Abbr. gr. or gro. A group of 144 items; 12 dozen.
Total
To equal a total of; amount to
The week's receipts totaled more than $90,000.
Gross
To earn as a total income or profit before deductions
The store grossed $10,000 last month.
Total
To wreck completely; demolish
The driver survived the crash but totaled the car.
Gross
(of behaviour considered to be wrong) Highly or conspicuously offensive.
A gross mistake;
Gross injustice;
Gross negligence; a gross insult
Total
To add up; amount
It totals to $25.
Gross
(of an amount) Excluding any deductions; including all associated amounts.
Gross domestic product; gross income; gross weight
Total
An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
A total of £145 was raised by the bring-and-buy stall.
Gross
Seen without a microscope (usually for a tissue or an organ); at a large scale; not detailed.
Gross anatomy
Total
Sum.
The total of 4, 5 and 6 is 15.
Gross
Causing disgust.
I threw up all over the bed. It was totally gross.
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.
Gross
Lacking refinement in behaviour or manner; offending a standard of morality.
Total
(used as an intensifier) Complete; absolute.
He is a total failure.
Gross
(of a product) Lacking refinement; not of high quality.
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.
Gross
(of a person) Heavy in proportion to one's height; having a lot of excess flesh.
Total
(transitive) To add up; to calculate the sum of.
When we totalled the takings, we always got a different figure.
Gross
Difficult or impossible to see through.
Total
To equal a total of; to amount to.
That totals seven times so far.
Gross
(archaic) Not sensitive in perception or feeling.
Total
To demolish; to wreck completely. (from total loss)
Honey, I’m OK, but I’ve totaled the car.
Gross
(obsolete) Easy to perceive.
Total
(intransitive) To amount to; to add up to.
It totals nearly a pound.
Gross
Twelve dozen = 144.
Total
Whole; not divided; entire; full; complete; absolute; as, a total departure from the evidence; a total loss.
Gross
The total nominal earnings or amount, before taxes, expenses, exceptions or similar are deducted. That which remains after all deductions is called net.
Total
The whole; the whole sum or amount; as, these sums added make the grand total of five millions.
Gross
The bulk, the mass, the masses.
Total
To bring to a total; also, to reach as a total; to amount to.
Gross
(transitive) To earn money, not including expenses.
The movie grossed three million on the first weekend.
Total
To determine the total of (a set of numbers); to add; - often used with up; as, to total up the bill.
Gross
Great; large; bulky; fat; of huge size; excessively large.
A gross body of horse under the Duke.
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.
Gross
Coarse; rough; not fine or delicate.
Total
The whole amount
Gross
Not easily aroused or excited; not sensitive in perception or feeling; dull; witless.
Tell her of things that no gross ear can hear.
Total
A quantity obtained by addition
Gross
Expressing, or originating in, animal or sensual appetites; hence, coarse, vulgar, low, obscene, or impure.
The terms which are delicate in one age become gross in the next.
Total
Add up in number or quantity;
The bills amounted to $2,000
The bill came to $2,000
Gross
Disgusting; repulsive; highly offensive; as, a gross remark.
Total
Determine the sum of;
Add all the people in this town to those of the neighboring town
Gross
Thick; dense; not attenuated; as, a gross medium.
Total
Constituting the full quantity or extent; complete;
An entire town devastated by an earthquake
Gave full attention
A total failure
Gross
Great; palpable; serious; vagrant; shameful; as, a gross mistake; gross injustice; gross negligence.
Total
Including everything;
The overall cost
The total amount owed
Gross
Whole; entire; total; without deduction; as, the gross sum, or gross amount, the gross weight; - opposed to net.
Total
Without conditions or limitations;
A total ban
Gross
The main body; the chief part, bulk, or mass.
For the gross of the people, they are considered as a mere herd of cattle.
Total
Complete in extent or degree and in every particular;
A full game
A total eclipse
A total disaster
Gross
The number of twelve dozen; twelve times twelve; as, a gross of bottles; ten gross of pens.
Gross
Twelve dozen
Gross
The entire amount of income before any deductions are made
Gross
Earn before taxes, expenses, etc.
Gross
Before any deductions;
Gross income
Gross
Visible to the naked eye (especially of rocks and anatomical features)
Gross
Of general aspects or broad distinctions;
The gross details of the structure appear reasonable
Gross
Repellently fat;
A bald porcine old man
Gross
Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible;
A crying shame
An egregious lie
Flagrant violation of human rights
A glaring error
Gross ineptitude
Gross injustice
Rank treachery
Gross
Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers;
An arrant fool
A complete coward
A consummate fool
A double-dyed villain
Gross negligence
A perfect idiot
Pure folly
What a sodding mess
Stark staring mad
A thoroughgoing villain
Utter nonsense
Gross
Conspicuously and tastelessly indecent;
Coarse language
A crude joke
Crude behavior
An earthy sense of humor
A revoltingly gross expletive
A vulgar gesture
Full of language so vulgar it should have been edited
Common Curiosities
Is total always higher than gross?
Not necessarily; total refers to a final sum which could be less than gross when deductions are involved, such as net income being less than gross income.
What does total mean in calculations?
Total refers to the final sum or aggregate amount after performing all necessary calculations, including additions and subtractions.
Why is gross important in financial statements?
Gross figures are crucial for understanding the initial earning or expenditure before any deductions, essential for accurate financial analysis.
Can total and gross be the same?
In some contexts, total and gross can represent the same figure, especially if there are no deductions from the gross amount.
How is gross income different from total income?
Gross income is the entire income before any deductions like taxes, while total income could mean the sum after deductions.
Why differentiate between total and gross?
Differentiating helps in financial analysis, budget planning, and understanding the impact of deductions on the final amount.
What does gross weight mean?
Gross weight refers to the total weight of an item, including packaging and any material used for shipping or handling.
Can gross be used outside financial contexts?
While less common, gross can describe total quantities or measurements in non-financial contexts without deductions.
How does total revenue relate to gross revenue?
Total revenue can be synonymous with gross revenue, indicating total sales before deductions. The terminology may vary based on context.
Is gross profit the same as total profit?
Gross profit refers specifically to earnings before deducting operating expenses, while total profit may consider all deductions, showing net profit.
How do you calculate total expenses?
Total expenses are calculated by summing all individual expenses, including taxes, operational costs, and other expenditures.
Does total include taxes?
Total can include taxes if calculating the final amount payable or receivable, incorporating all relevant charges and deductions.
What role does total play in budgeting?
Total figures are crucial in budgeting for understanding overall expenses, income, and for making informed financial decisions.
How are total and gross used in accounting?
In accounting, total is used for final sums, and gross refers to amounts before deductions, aiding in detailed financial reporting and analysis.
Is gross margin different from total margin?
Gross margin specifically measures profitability before operating expenses, whereas total margin might not be a standard term, requiring context for clarity.
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Written by
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.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
