sum

An amount of money.

• They paid a large sum for the house.
• She donated a small sum to the school.
• What sum would you be willing to spend?

How to use it: sum of money (He borrowed a small sum of money.)

Similar words: amount

Common phrases: large sum, small sum, sum of money

The total you get when you add numbers or amounts together.

• The sum of two and three is five.
• Calculate the sum of these numbers.
• Their combined weight equals the sum of their individual weights.

How to use it: sum of A and B (The sum of six and four is ten.)

Similar words: total

Common phrases: sum of something, total sum, calculate the sum, sum of numbers

A problem involving numbers that you solve, often as a school exercise.

• This sum is easy.
• We did ten sums for homework.
• Can you help me solve this division sum?

Similar words: calculation, math problem

Common phrases: do a sum, difficult sum, simple sum

To state the main points of something briefly.

• Let me sum up the main points.
• She summed up our discussion in a few sentences.
• Can you sum up what happened?

How to use it: sum up something (He summed up the report for us.); sum something up (She summed the situation up clearly.)

Similar words: summarize, recap

Common phrases: sum up something, sum something up, to sum up

To add numbers or amounts together to get a total.

• Sum the numbers in this column.
• The program summed all the costs.
• Have you summed the daily totals yet?

Similar words: add, total

Common phrases: sum the values, sum the numbers, sum something together