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
Now stranded and alone, all Lucy can do is laugh at herself and the sum of her decisions.
—
Pamela Avila, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Sometimes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, as the saying goes, and Caesar salad is a perfect example.
—Jennifer Anderson, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
Along the way, there were genre pitstops, where Duvall could always be relied upon to turn formulaic roles into far more than the sum of their threadbare parts (1973’s The Outfit, 1975’s The Killer Elite).
—Chris Nashawaty, Vanity Fair, 16 Feb. 2026
Indeed, by ending with a celebration of the flags of the Americas, Bad Bunny reminded us that America is more than the sum of its parts.
—Ediberto Roman, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the sum of
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Pamela Avila, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Sometimes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, as the saying goes, and Caesar salad is a perfect example.
—Jennifer Anderson, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
Along the way, there were genre pitstops, where Duvall could always be relied upon to turn formulaic roles into far more than the sum of their threadbare parts (1973’s The Outfit, 1975’s The Killer Elite).
—Chris Nashawaty, Vanity Fair, 16 Feb. 2026
Indeed, by ending with a celebration of the flags of the Americas, Bad Bunny reminded us that America is more than the sum of its parts.
—Ediberto Roman, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 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 21 Feb. 2026.
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