low sum

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "low sum" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are referring to a small total amount, often in financial or mathematical discussions. Example: "The project's budget was tight, and we managed to keep the expenses to a low sum."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

The 24-year-old has a £3.5m release clause, a relatively low sum for a defender.

The Guardian - Sport

The campaign was run for the relatively low sum of $25,000.

The New Yorker

Oh look, here comes Hilary Swank, and she's renting a swish Brooklyn apartment for a suspiciously low sum.

The Guardian - Film

That is an unbelievably low sum for a country where food is fairly easy to grow.

The Economist

She bought the property in 1975, for what now seems like the startlingly low sum of $17,500.

The New York Times

For a low sum, 250 watts of electricity was available at all times, but if usage went over this amount all the lights went out.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

In order to further verify the robustness of this association, an ordinal logistic regression model was used with cut-points at 0 7 (low summed score), 8 15 (medium summed score), and 16 23 (high summed score).

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Despite these come-hitherly low sums, the membership was small, meetings irregular and sparsely attended, largely because the club did not have its own quarters.

The New York Times

Some Euro-Americans took advantage of the situation, offering unreasonably low sums to buy possessions from those who were being forced to move.

Britannica

Finally, there are the 2.8 million Palestinians who live in the territories that Israel took over in 1967 and to which Israel has allocated very low sums, if any, for public infrastructure improvements.

The New York Times

For both TTT values, the classical approach yields very low sum-rates, while the proposed approaches lead to significant improvement of up to 81%and85%5% for TTT values 40 ms and 480 ms, respectively.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "low sum", ensure the context clearly indicates what the sum refers to. For example, specify "a low sum of money" or "a low sum of points" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "low sum" in contexts where 'small number' or 'few' would be more appropriate. "Low sum" usually refers to a total amount, especially in financial contexts, and not just a small quantity of discrete items.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "low sum" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "low" modifies the noun "sum". As confirmed by Ludwig, it's used to describe a total amount that is considered small or insufficient in a given context.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "low sum" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a small or insufficient total amount. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used in various contexts, particularly in news, media, and scientific publications. When using "low sum", it's essential to ensure the context is clear and that it accurately reflects the intended meaning. Related phrases like "small amount" or "minimal value" can be used as alternatives, depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. While versatile, be mindful of situations where a simpler term such as "small number" might be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

small amount

Replaces "sum" with "amount", focusing on the quantity involved.

meager quantity

Uses stronger adjectives to emphasize the insufficiency of the quantity.

insignificant total

Highlights the lack of importance or impact due to the small total.

minimal value

Shifts the focus to the low monetary or assessed worth.

reduced figure

Emphasizes the decrease or lessening of an original amount.

paltry sum

Uses a more emotive term to express contempt for the small amount.

deficient amount

Focuses on the inadequacy of the amount for a specific purpose.

limited quantity

Highlights that the available amount is restricted or not abundant.

diminished total

Suggests a reduction or decrease leading to the small total.

small aggregate

Uses a more formal term for a collection or sum, emphasizing its small size.

FAQs

How can I use "low sum" in a sentence?

You can use "low sum" to describe a small total amount, especially in financial or mathematical contexts. For example: "The auction ended with a surprisingly "low sum" for such a valuable item."

What can I say instead of "low sum"?

You can use alternatives like "small amount", "meager quantity", or "minimal value" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "lowest sum" instead of "low sum"?

Both are grammatically correct, but they have different meanings. "Low sum" describes a sum that is generally small. "Lowest sum" refers to the smallest sum among a set of sums being compared.

What's the difference between "low sum" and "small number"?

"Low sum" typically applies to a total or aggregate amount, often in financial or quantitative contexts. "Small number" generally refers to a count or quantity of individual items or entities.