Phrase guide

sum up

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To produce a total by adding.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Examples

  • We summed up the donations and found that we had just enough to pay the bills.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: add up

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To summarize.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Examples

  • So, to sum up your argument, what you are saying is that it is impossible.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

determine the sum of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Add all the people in this town to those of the neighboring town

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: total, tot, tot up, sum, summate, tote up, add, add together, tally, add up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: count, number, enumerate, numerate

4

verb

Meaning 4

give a summary (of)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he summed up his results
  • I will now summarize

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: summarize, summarise, resume

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: repeat, reiterate, ingeminate, iterate, restate, retell

Narrower terms: abstract, precis, docket, recapitulate, recap

5

verb

Meaning 5

be a summary of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The abstract summarizes the main ideas in the paper

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: summarize, summarise, sum

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: state, say, tell

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: sumować — to produce a total by adding
  • Polish: zsumowywać — to produce a total by adding
  • Polish: zsumować — to produce a total by adding
  • Spanish: sumar — to produce a total by adding
  • Polish: podsumowywać — to sum up; to summarize
  • Polish: podsumować — to sum up; to summarize