1
as in total
a complete amount of something
the sum of human knowledge on that subject
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in summary
a short statement of the main points
the district attorney delivered a sum of the evidence against the accused that was simply staggering
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in height
the highest part or point
he declared that he had reached the sum of joy when his newborn daughter was laid in his arms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in essence
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
the sum of the issue is: who will pay for this?
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to add
to combine (numbers) into a single sum
can sum figures in his head faster than I can punch them into a calculator
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sum
Anna North, Vox, 26 June 2025
Undergraduate tuition is just above $73,000, but the school offers a generous sum of financial aid.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025
Pol Ballús, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Nikola Jokic summed it up best after the five-second violation that might’ve just tilted a playoff series.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sum
Noun
Paying only moms in the labor force without offering the same sum to moms already caring for kids at home also seems unfair — including the around 9 million stay-at-home moms in the US would boost the total even further.
—Anna North, Vox, 26 June 2025
Undergraduate tuition is just above $73,000, but the school offers a generous sum of financial aid.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025
Verb
The way Montjuic erupted when Fermin Lopez scored what should have made the match safe at 5-3 — his effort was disallowed for handball — summed it all up.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Nikola Jokic summed it up best after the five-second violation that might’ve just tilted a playoff series.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sum
Noun
-
SpaceX is currently working to deploying a total of 12,000 Starlink satellites, but has plans, if approved, to grow the megaconstellation to more than 34,000 units in orbit.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
18 June 2025
-
Sun, who has now invested a total of at $75 million in World Liberty Financial, has become an advisor to the company.—
Zach Everson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
This pick comes with a concise summary, not a full Long Idea report.—
David Trainer,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Being confirmed required the ability to read and interpret the Bible and Martin Luther’s Catechism, a summary of the Lutheran Church’s beliefs.—
Thomas A. DuBois,
The Conversation,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
In 2022, Rotterdam’s historic De Hef bridge was temporarily dismantled to accommodate the yacht Before Bezos set sail on Koru, a historic bridge in the Netherlands needed to be temporarily altered to accommodate the yacht's height.—
Caroline Blair,
People.com,
24 June 2025
-
But one who does not consistently reach such heights is Alfred Caldwell.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
Peter Orner, Still No Word from You: Notes in the Margins (Catapult) Orner is a virtuoso of subtlety, nuance, and essence.—
Donna Seaman
June 18,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2025
-
These teachings, Tolstoy believed, formed the true essence of Christianity, which had been distorted by the church in order to protect its own interests.—
Ben Woollard,
JSTOR Daily,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Brice Matthews could correct that problem at second and along with recent outfield callup Jacob Melton, add depth that can help the Houston Astros to yet another post-season run.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
The resurgence of fisherman sandals and oversized button-downs has only added fuel to the fire—or, maybe, fish to the net.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
That's within a few seconds of the maximum totality possible in the path of totality in Iceland, which encompasses the Westfjords, Snæfellsnes and the Reykjanes Peninsula, home to the country's capital, Reykjavík.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
That will be a scientific bonanza since full solar eclipses produce just a few minutes of totality when the moon lines up perfectly between Earth and the sun — on average just once every 18 months.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
As far back as a decade ago, when Villeneuve was on the promotion trail for Sicario, the Canadian said that action is art — and Bond is the very pinnacle of the genre.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
26 June 2025
-
Todd Golden’s Gators reached their sport’s pinnacle with their 65-63 win in the national title game on April 7 against Houston.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Wang’s team compared the highly active genes in both rabbits and mice after injury and traced the roots of this difference to a gene called Aldh1a2, which was strongly activated in rabbits and remained inactive in mice.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
26 June 2025
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The roots of the Phlegms begin with McKitrick, who grew up in Houston, Texas, and Williams, who is from Little Rock.—
Sean Clancy,
Arkansas Online,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sum. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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