Sum up meaning
Sum up means to say the main points of something in a few words. It can also mean to show what is typical of someone or something.
sum something up
sum up · summed · summing
To sum up, we need more time and more money.
Sum up meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Say the main points of something in a few words
sum something up
- To sum up, we need more time and more money.
- Can you sum up the film in one sentence?
- At the end of the class, the teacher summed it all up.
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2
Show what is typical of someone or something
sum somebody or something up
- Forgetting his own birthday? That sums him up!
- One photo sums up the whole holiday.
- Rain, rain and more rain. That sums up our summer.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use sum up in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is sum up separable?
Sum up is separable: sum up the main points, sum the main points up. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: sum it up. It can also stand alone: To sum up, …
To sum up is a very common way to start the end of a talk or essay. The noun is summary, and summing-up is a judge’s final speech.
Verb tenses for sum up
| Present | I sum up · she sums up |
|---|---|
| Past | summed up |
| Present perfect | have summed up |
| -ing form | summing up |
Common mistakes with sum up
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: To summ up, the project was a success.
Right: To sum up, the project was a success.
The verb is spelled sum, with one m. Summed and summing have two.
Wrong: Can you sum up it for me?
Right: Can you sum it up for me?
A pronoun goes between sum and up.
Wrong: In sum up, I agree with the plan.
Right: To sum up, I agree with the plan.
The fixed phrase is to sum up. In short or in summary are also fine.
Synonyms and opposites of sum up
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- summarisethe formal one-word verb (US: summarize)
- wrap upfinish a meeting or talk, often with a short summary
- in shorta phrase that starts a short summary
Opposite
- go into detailexplain every part fully
- expand onsay more about a point
Sum up quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1To ___, our sales went up by 10% this year.
To sum up introduces a short summary.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The pronoun goes between sum and up.
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3Your friend is late again and says the bus was late again. You say, “That sums you up!” What do you mean?
That sums someone up means it shows what they are usually like.
Find your level
The phrasal verbs test adapts as you answer, from A2 to C1, and shows which ones you miss.
- get upA1get out of bed after you sleep
- take upB1start a new hobby or activity
- put upB1fix something to a wall, or raise something higher
- look upA2find information in a dictionary, a book or online
- go upB1become higher, like a price, a number or a temperature
- come upB2be mentioned or talked about
- give upB1stop doing or having something, often a habit
- break upB1end a romantic relationship
Sum up FAQ
Questions people ask about sum up.
How do you use to sum up in an essay?
Use it at the start of your last paragraph to give the main points again. To sum up, social media has good and bad sides.
Sum up vs summarise: what is the difference?
They mean the same. Summarise is a little more formal and common in instructions: Summarise the text in 50 words.
What does that sums it up mean?
It means what was just said describes the situation perfectly. Long queues and no seats. Well, that sums it up.
Use sum up in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.