greater/better/more than the sum of its parts
idiom
—used to say that something is better or more effective as a team, combination, etc., than would be expected when looking at the different parts that form it
The team lacks standout players, but it has proved to be greater than the sum of its parts.
Examples of greater/better/more than the sum of its parts in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But what makes the coffee shop experience important to us as individuals and a society is something greater than the sum of its parts.
—
David G. Allan, CNN, 20 Jan. 2025
When these elements work in unison, the outcome is greater than the sum of its parts: a business that’s not just agile, but unstoppable.
—Jan Gilg, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
In a season when adversity hit from the outset, San Antonio has rallied around interim head coach Mitch Johnson and reveled in an efficient, collective defensive product that is greater than the sum of its parts.
—Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
He’s always punched above his weight and made a team more than the sum of its parts.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for greater/better/more than the sum of its parts 
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David G. Allan, CNN, 20 Jan. 2025
When these elements work in unison, the outcome is greater than the sum of its parts: a business that’s not just agile, but unstoppable.
—Jan Gilg, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
In a season when adversity hit from the outset, San Antonio has rallied around interim head coach Mitch Johnson and reveled in an efficient, collective defensive product that is greater than the sum of its parts.
—Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
He’s always punched above his weight and made a team more than the sum of its parts.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for greater/better/more than the sum of its parts
Dictionary Entries Near greater/better/more than the sum of its parts
greater/better/more than the sum of its parts
Cite this Entry
“Greater/better/more than the sum of its parts.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greater%2Fbetter%2Fmore%20than%20the%20sum%20of%20its%20parts. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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