Meaning & use

sum

noun·Everyday

The total amount obtained by adding two or more numbers or quantities together.

See it in a sentence

The sum of six and nine is fifteen, which the students wrote in their notebooks.

She donated a large sum of money to the local animal shelter.

A note on using this word

Sum can mean the result of addition in math, or, more broadly, an amount of money, as in 'a considerable sum.'

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

To calculate the total of something, or to briefly summarize it (sum up).

Let me sum up the meeting's key points before everyone leaves.

Make it your own

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