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
At the end of the Strip Law season, there are hints that its cumulative effect could be greater than the sum of its puns, near-rhymes and esoteric shoutouts.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Most of the total is the sum of unpaid sales taxes dating back to January of last year, the month that Leven Supply opened, according to one warrant.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
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
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Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Most of the total is the sum of unpaid sales taxes dating back to January of last year, the month that Leven Supply opened, according to one warrant.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
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
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 2 Mar. 2026.
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