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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of sum
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
It’s been 24 days since Nancy has gone missing, and while there have been multiple ransom letters reported — demanding a large sum of Bitcoin — the Guthrie family has reportedly not been given proof of life.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Fennell's version of the book promises to lean into the madness and passion of Cathy and Heathcliffe's doomed love—and this quote kind of sums it up.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sum
Noun
The Russian state has introduced incentives for women who have three or more children, including lump-sum payments, tax breaks and state benefits.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
It’s been 24 days since Nancy has gone missing, and while there have been multiple ransom letters reported — demanding a large sum of Bitcoin — the Guthrie family has reportedly not been given proof of life.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
Owner and hotel manager Andrea Scherz describes the look as mountain chic with a British touch, and that pretty much sums it up.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Fennell's version of the book promises to lean into the madness and passion of Cathy and Heathcliffe's doomed love—and this quote kind of sums it up.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sum
Noun
-
In total, the Tax Foundation estimates tariffs increased the average American household’s tax payments by $1,000 last year.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The storm, which is triggering blizzard and winter storm warnings and snowfall totals of up to two feet along the coast.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The caliphate ruled Manbij for two brutal years—years of summary executions and punitive amputations.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The story summaries above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Upstairs, corridors wrap around a striking double-height bamboo atrium—real moso bamboo is planted at the building's core.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Lindsay Lohan took this season’s fresh-off-the runway styles to new heights in a photoshoot shot 60 floors up on one of the most famous helipads in the world.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Read full review To experience Rosewood’s flagship hotel is to see it as the essence of a resurgent Hong Kong.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
And timing is of the essence as Lunar missions tend to have narrow windows.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Longhorns were primed to add on to their lead after Casey Borba smoked a leadoff double, but some poor situational hitting behind him kept Texas off the board.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Mar. 2026
-
That will add hours to those flights and consume additional fuel, adding to the costs airlines will have to absorb.—
CARA RUBINSKY,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For those planning to photograph the blood moon with telescopes or telephoto lenses, the 59-minute totality window gives you solid working time to experiment with exposure bracketing and capture the subtle shift in hue between the start and greatest eclipse.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Darker locations away from city lights will offer the best experience, particularly for appreciating the full depth of the Moon’s reddish hue during totality.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In those brief chapters, Americans built this nation from 13 humble colonies into the pinnacle of human civilization and human freedom.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
In those brief chapters, Americans built this nation from 13 humble colonies into the pinnacle of human civilization and human freedom, the strongest, wealthiest, most powerful, most successful nation in all of history.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Mulch has many benefits in the garden, like retaining soil moisture, insulating roots, and deterring weeds.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Underneath the broad comedy, the sagging and the seeping, Meat Suit is about that sense of loss — or rather, of constant flux, root-level change that, in truth, is always going on in our physical and ephemeral selves, but that the upending jolt of parenthood brings right to the surface.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sum. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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