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.

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This Pasta Dish Has Layers of Flavor Beyond the obvious ones in the recipe name, there are some other ingredients that make this dish taste like more than the sum of its parts. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2024 True partner marketing requires unique positioning that elevates the partnership to more than the sum of its parts. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 Collaboration Organizations are only as good as the sum of their parts — and artful thinkers understand that. Stephanie Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024 Yet the canny level of observation — at once casual, caustic and empathetic — makes for a film that adds up to considerably more than the sum of its seemingly offhand parts. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 21 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for the sum of 

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Cite this Entry

“The sum of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20sum%20of. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.

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