sum total
Americannoun
-
complete numerical total.
the sum total of my savings.
-
essence; substance.
The sum total of research in the field.
Etymology
Origin of sum total
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is now Saturday, and the sum total of negotiating progress that has been made is nothing.
From Slate ● Feb. 7, 2026
I give her a one-page spreadsheet listing where all our money is, the balances and how the sum total compares with previous years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 14, 2025
Europe is a sum total of different countries with different-sized budgets and diverse domestic politics and priorities.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2025
The sum total of these ideas is our culture, which “makes our individual lives rich and fulfilling,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2024
“Though, in fairness, I’ve spent a lifetime sum total of five hours in Atlanta. So far.”
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
