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.

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Berta worked alongside Diego Simeone to turn Atleti into more than the sum of its parts and the Italian will now be expected to do something similar for Arsenal. Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Its ability to combine storytelling and design into something more than the sum of its parts allowed KyAlea to transport herself into the worlds that films created. Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025 Sadly, the series never really manages to coalesce into anything more than the sum of its parts, and many of the episodes feel frustratingly dry and dull. New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2025 Even better, proactive and reactive elements can continually inform one another, creating comprehensive cybersecurity that’s more than the sum of its parts. Manoj Srivastava, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for greater/better/more than the sum of its parts

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“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 17 Apr. 2025.

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