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
Recent Examples on the Web
There is a macroeconomic equation which stipulates that the sum of national savings and the trade deficit be equal to the sum of investment and the government deficit.
—
Hersh Shefrin, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
All of this red ink is the sum of millions of individual choices made over time.
—Richard Lorenc, Twin Cities, 16 Mar. 2025
As more people join, the noise level rises, and the sum of everyone’s conversations becomes a cacophony.
—Alice Park, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
Washington’s surprising season was about the sum of the parts coming together, and the linebacker’s presence was central to the team’s success.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 7 Mar. 2025
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Hersh Shefrin, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
All of this red ink is the sum of millions of individual choices made over time.
—Richard Lorenc, Twin Cities, 16 Mar. 2025
As more people join, the noise level rises, and the sum of everyone’s conversations becomes a cacophony.
—Alice Park, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
Washington’s surprising season was about the sum of the parts coming together, and the linebacker’s presence was central to the team’s success.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the sum of
Cite this Entry
“The sum of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20sum%20of. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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