the sum of

phrase

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

Though there’s nothing that truly stands out about his game, the sum of the parts could lead to him being a bottom-six winger with a chance to be an NHL center, too. — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Poets take language—this very pedestrian, perfunctory material—and strip it down while also turning it into something greater than the sum of its parts. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Where a ham and cheese or BLT can be reduced to the sum of their parts, a good veggie sandwich—especially one that is intended to be a meal, not a snack—requires some rumination. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026

The problem with this traditional, a la carte delivery of financial services is that the whole often equals less than the sum of its parts. — Chris Kelly, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Rhymes for the sum of

• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove
• hereinabove