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

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Instead of a team that’s better than the sum of its parts, the Patriots have become the get-right game for slumping NFL sides, this time leaving the Cardinals feeling good after having snapped their three-game losing streak. Chad Graff, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024 The Denver event blends everything that makes outdoor festivals so fun, and the result is much, much better than the sum of its parts. Outside Online, 13 Dec. 2024 Given a set of possible characters in a message, Shannon’s formula defines the uncertainty about which character will appear next as the sum of the probability of each character appearing multiplied by the logarithm of that probability. Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024 Plans will receive an HEI score and reward factor based on a score of -1, 0 or 1 per measure; the sum of these scores will determine where contracts rank on each eligible measure, impacting MA plans’ overall star ratings and reward factor beginning in 2027. Eron Kelly, Forbes, 12 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 22 Dec. 2024.

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