: indicating a quantity whose algebraically positive and negative values serve to bracket a range of values either alone or when added to and subtracted from a given number
measured with an accuracy of plus or minus 3 feet
: more or less, approximately
a dance for singles plus or minus age 30
Examples of plus or minus in a Sentence
Adverb
I have plus or minus five dollars in change.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
—Todd Spangler, Freep.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Sarah Elbeshbishi, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2023
The poll surveyed 805 adults via telephone interviews from March 16-20, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.8 percentage points.
—Bridget Bowman, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for plus or minus
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Adjective
The poll surveyed 1,066 Americans from September 12 to September 16, 2025, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
—Todd Spangler, Freep.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Adverb
The survey of 1,582 adults, taken March 16-20 online has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7%.
—Sarah Elbeshbishi, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2023
The poll surveyed 805 adults via telephone interviews from March 16-20, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.8 percentage points.
—Bridget Bowman, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for plus or minus
Cite this Entry
“Plus or minus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plus%20or%20minus. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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