Meaning
"Sum up" means to give a brief statement that expresses the main points of something. It is often used when summarizing ideas, arguments, or events in a concise way.
Grammar and Usage
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Part of speech: Phrasal verb
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Transitivity: Transitive (requires an object)
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Patterns:
- sum up + noun → "He summed up the meeting."
- sum sth/sb up → "She summed him up in a single glance."
- to sum up (as a set phrase) → used at the beginning of a concluding statement.
Common Phrases
- to sum up – used to introduce a conclusion.
- sum up the situation – give a short description of what’s happening.
- sum up in a few words – describe briefly.
- sum sb up – form a quick opinion about a person.
Collocations
- sum up + argument
- sum up + discussion
- sum up + experience
- sum up + character
- to sum up + briefly / quickly / simply
Examples
- The teacher asked the students to sum up the story in their own words.
- He managed to sum up the problem in just two sentences.
- The politician tried to sum up his vision for the country.
- She summed him up as arrogant after their first meeting.
- To sum up, we need more time and resources to finish the project.
- His face sums up his feelings—he’s clearly disappointed.
- The report sums up the results of the year-long study.
- She could sum up the situation at a glance.
Synonyms or Related
- summarize
- recap
- condense
- outline
- conclude
Antonym
- expand on
- elaborate
- go into detail