the sum of
idiom
1
: an amount of (money)
I paid the sum of $500.
2
: the result of (adding two or more numbers together)
The sum of 5 and 7 is 12
3
: all there is of : the whole amount of
Working odd summer jobs has been the sum of my experience so far.
Examples of the sum of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Total cholesterol: This is the sum of LDL, HDL, and half of the triglycerides.
—
Md Published, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025
This fleet, O’Meara adds, is more than the sum of its parts, with much of its power emerging from synergies among multiple telescopes that study the cosmos in many different types, or wavelengths, of light.
—Nadia Drake, Scientific American, 3 June 2025
Details Make the Difference To paraphrase Aristotle, the whole of a suit is often greater than the sum of its parts.
—Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
On the other hand, the Knicks had enough talent to survive the Pacers, and a group that was built to enhance each other could not consistently become better than the sum of its parts.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 31 May 2025
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Md Published, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025
This fleet, O’Meara adds, is more than the sum of its parts, with much of its power emerging from synergies among multiple telescopes that study the cosmos in many different types, or wavelengths, of light.
—Nadia Drake, Scientific American, 3 June 2025
Details Make the Difference To paraphrase Aristotle, the whole of a suit is often greater than the sum of its parts.
—Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
On the other hand, the Knicks had enough talent to survive the Pacers, and a group that was built to enhance each other could not consistently become better than the sum of its parts.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for the sum of
Cite this Entry
“The sum of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20sum%20of. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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