adjective
overall, total
B1
Means 'overall' or 'total'. Gesamt is not gradable and often used attributively or as a prefix in compounds (z. B. Gesamtbetrag, Gesamtkosten) to indicate the sum or whole. It modifies nouns to express entirety; can function adverbially as 'insgesamt'. No irregular forms.
Examples
Die Gesamtkosten sind höher als erwartet.
The total costs are higher than expected.
Das Gesamtbudget ist für das gesamte Projekt geplant.
The overall budget is planned for the whole project.
Die Bilanz zeigte, dass die gesamte Summe höher war, als die Analysten erwartet hatten.
The balance sheet showed that the total amount was higher than the analysts had expected.
Details
Mnemonics
picture a pie with a big label 'GESAMT' across the whole pie to mean total/all
sounds like 'guest at' — imagine a guest at the whole party (overall)
Notes
Used attributively most often (gesamte, gesamter). Can be slightly formal; 'insgesamt' is the adverbial equivalent meaning 'all in all' or 'overall'.