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
Brand equity is the sum of all associations, experiences, and predispositions that consumers have developed toward a brand.
—
Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Max Weber identified legitimacy as the sum of consensual beliefs.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
If Meeks’ film somehow feels less than the sum of its parts, that’s likely because the director doesn’t impose a more compelling crime story or romance to hook us.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Jan. 2026
Read on to get a glimpse inside the menopause retreat, and learn why the takeaway is often less tangible—and more profound—than the sum of its parts.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the sum of
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Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Max Weber identified legitimacy as the sum of consensual beliefs.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
If Meeks’ film somehow feels less than the sum of its parts, that’s likely because the director doesn’t impose a more compelling crime story or romance to hook us.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Jan. 2026
Read on to get a glimpse inside the menopause retreat, and learn why the takeaway is often less tangible—and more profound—than the sum of its parts.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Jan. 2026
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 1 Feb. 2026.
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