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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Recent Examples of sum
Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Many personal finance decisions, such as buying a home or planning for retirement, also involve sums of money well beyond what people are used to dealing with.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Glen Weldon, NPR, 14 May 2026
That's about the way to sum it up.
—Will Lennon, ABC News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sum
Noun
To be eligible, a company must show positive GAAP net income from continuing operations in its most recent quarter and over the sum of its trailing four quarters — a test that cannot operate as designed if the underlying quarterly figure becomes optional.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Many personal finance decisions, such as buying a home or planning for retirement, also involve sums of money well beyond what people are used to dealing with.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Verb
That about sums it up nicely, song.
—Glen Weldon, NPR, 14 May 2026
That's about the way to sum it up.
—Will Lennon, ABC News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sum
Noun
-
There are a total of 13 open-plan suites and one private-use villa.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Eastford, a small, rural community in Windham County, operates a food bank in cooperation with a local Baptist church, two days per month for a total of five hours.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 May 2026
-
The page will include a progress summary with a breakdown of different aspects of the plan and their levels of completion, as well as a table of contents for viewers to navigate different elements of the plan.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
This helped accommodate patients who could not, or chose not to, be seen in person at the height of covid transmission.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
While Star City hasn’t quite yet reached the heights of its predecessor, the five hours (of eight) sent to critics satisfy as both a companion series and one capable of standing all on its own.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
If Chartreuse is tasting the essence of the forest from Gaia’s own breast, then Fernet is more like shaking hands with the devil.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
30 May 2026
-
The last album began in essence as an experiment, to see if Dogstar had another chapter in them.—
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The Avs are short on draft picks and prospects to use in trades, but there are also lots of teams with plenty of cap space who might want to add one of the Colorado veterans.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
By executing a teardown the Red Sox could also restock their farm system and ideally add a new wave of position player prospects who could help the big league lineup next year and beyond.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Bank of America’s new BofA Rewards program is a signal that bank loyalty is moving into a broader era—one where rewards are tied not just to spending, but to the totality of a customer’s financial relationship, lifestyle preferences and life stage.—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
No, Ware wouldn’t be the totality of a Heat package for Giannis, likely less coveted than say a Heat package of picks, or even the leading man from elsewhere (Jaylen Brown from the Celtics, Alperen Sengun from the Rockets, perhaps Paolo Banchero from the Magic).—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
This spring, Munetaka Murakami, Tatsuya Imai, and Kazuma Okamoto all left the island nation and headed for the pinnacle of baseball competition.—
Dan Freedman,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
The second time, the Devil takes him to the top of the pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem and invites him to throw himself off of it, since God will surely send angels to catch him.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Maintain an even supply of moisture to reduce stress on the plant, and water at the roots with a drip hose instead of overhead watering to avoid spreading disease.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
-
According to legend, the pithiviers has its roots in the first century, when Gauls combined local flour with almonds brought by Roman traders.—
Jen Rose Smith,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sum. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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