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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show current usage.
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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
-
Regardless, due to the extremely limited numbers, this example—with a total of 389 miles on it—is sure to see bidding go ballistic.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
30 June 2025
-
If the state approves the expansion, East Windsor would end up with a total of more than 1,100 acres consumed for solar energy.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 June 2025
-
Here are some of the other key points included in the CBA extension, based on a summary of the memorandum of understanding obtained by The Athletic.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
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
-
And the film has stood the test of time, capturing the essence of America's early space program for posterity.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 June 2025
-
Those forecasts are based on the idea that many U.S. stocks are overpriced, in essence, and trading above their real value.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
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
-
The same reviewer added that the front seams help keep the jeans from bunching.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
People.com,
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
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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 billion-dollar tourist attraction with south Texas roots has been inching north into other states and is on track to start building a new location off Village West Parkway in KCK this year.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
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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