How to pronounce sum
Say it like SUHM. Sum is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sum. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SUHM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sum pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of sum
American and British speakers say sum in essentially the same way: /sʌm/ in the US and /sʌm/ in the UK.
British respelling: SUHM.
What does sum mean?
- a quantity of money“he borrowed a large sum”“the amount he had in cash was insufficient”
- a quantity obtained by the addition of a group of numbers
- the final aggregate“the sum of all our troubles did not equal the misery they suffered”
- be a summary of“The abstract summarizes the main ideas in the paper”
- determine the sum of“Add all the people in this town to those of the neighboring town”
Where does sum come from?
From Middle English summe, from Old French summe, from Latin summa (“highest point; sum”), from summus (“highest”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with sum
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sum.
Words that sound like sum
Questions about saying sum
How do you pronounce sum?
Say SUHM. The American pronunciation is /sʌm/. In British English it is /sʌm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sum?
Sum is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SUHM.
Do Americans and Brits say sum the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sʌm/ and the British form is /sʌm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as sum?
Sum sounds the same as some in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.