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
Examples of sum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Julia Ingram, CBS News, 17 Oct. 2024
In sum, during times of disaster, the federal government has the ability to provide help for ailing businesses and individuals to recover economically through a number of federal disaster relief loan programs.
—Rohit Arora, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
Amit Gandhi, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024
The price movement comes just as a technical committee of the influential OPEC+ — summing the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies — is set to meet on Thursday and assess compliance with individual members’ production quotas.
—Ruxandra Iordache,spencer Kimball, CNBC, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for sum 
Noun
Over four years, the sum — $160 to $216 billion — is comparable to the cost of constructing around half a million new homes across the country.
—Julia Ingram, CBS News, 17 Oct. 2024
In sum, during times of disaster, the federal government has the ability to provide help for ailing businesses and individuals to recover economically through a number of federal disaster relief loan programs.
—Rohit Arora, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
To sum it up, customers are looking for engaging experiences across multiple touchpoints with personalization in the mix.
—Amit Gandhi, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024
The price movement comes just as a technical committee of the influential OPEC+ — summing the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies — is set to meet on Thursday and assess compliance with individual members’ production quotas.
—Ruxandra Iordache,spencer Kimball, CNBC, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for sum
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Thesaurus Entries Near sum
Cite this Entry
“Sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sum. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share