Many: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ”ข
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many

 

[ หˆmษ›ni ]

Adjective / Pronoun / Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Adjective

describing a large number or amount

A large number or amount of something.

Synonyms

multiple, numerous, plenty.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
many

Commonly used in everyday conversation and writing to indicate a high number of countable items. It's neutral in tone.

  • There are many books on the shelf
  • Many people attended the concert
numerous

Used in more formal or literary contexts to indicate a large number of countable items. It emphasizes the abundance.

  • Numerous studies have shown the benefits of exercise
  • The museum has numerous artifacts from ancient civilizations
plenty

Used in informal contexts and often suggests more than enough of something. It has a positive connotation.

  • We have plenty of time to finish the work
  • There are plenty of cookies for everyone
multiple

Often used in more technical or formal settings to indicate more than one instance or a variety of something.

  • She has multiple projects to complete
  • The software can perform multiple tasks simultaneously

Examples of usage

  • There were many people at the concert.
  • She has many friends all over the world.
Context #2 | Pronoun

referring to a large number or amount

A large number or amount of people or things.

Synonyms

a great number of, a lot of, several.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
many

Used in both formal and informal contexts to denote a large number of countable items.

  • Many people attended the concert
  • She has many books in her library
a lot of

Commonly used in informal contexts to indicate a large amount of both countable and uncountable items.

  • There are a lot of cars on the road today
  • We have a lot of homework to do
several

Used to describe a small, but indefinite number of countable items. Indicates more than two but not a large quantity.

  • Several students were late to class
  • I have several meetings scheduled for today
a great number of

Typically used in more formal contexts to emphasize a large quantity of countable items.

  • A great number of students participated in the science fair
  • There were a great number of solutions proposed for the issue

Examples of usage

  • Many believe that climate change is a serious threat.
  • Many of the students were excited about the upcoming field trip.
Context #3 | Noun

a large number or amount

A large number or amount of people or things.

Synonyms

a multitude, a multitude, a plethora.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
many

Appropriate for general use to indicate a large number of something. It can be used in both formal and informal settings.

  • There are many books on the shelf.
  • She has many friends in the city.
a multitude

Often used in more formal or literary contexts to describe a very large number of people or things.

  • A multitude of stars filled the night sky.
  • He faced a multitude of challenges during his career.
a plethora

Commonly used to emphasize an overabundance or excess of something. It usually has a slightly negative connotation.

  • The garden had a plethora of weeds that needed removing.
  • She offered a plethora of excuses for being late.

Examples of usage

  • There were so many in attendance at the event.
  • Many of the applicants met the qualifications for the job.

Translations

Translations of the word "many" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น muitos

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค•เคˆ (kai)

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช viele

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ banyak

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฑะฐะณะฐั‚ะพ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ wiele

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅคšใใฎ (ลŒku no)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท beaucoup

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ muchos

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท birรงok

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋งŽ์€ (manheun)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูƒุซูŠุฑ (kathฤซr)

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ mnoho

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ mnoho

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅพˆๅคš (hฤ›n duล)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ veliko

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ margir

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะบำฉะฟ (kรถp)

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ‘แƒ”แƒ•แƒ แƒ˜ (bevri)

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ รงox

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ muchos

Etymology

The word 'many' originated from the Old English word 'manig', which means 'numerous' or 'great in number'. Over time, the word evolved to its current form to describe a large number or amount of people or things. It has been used in English language for centuries to indicate abundance or multitude.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #72, this word is extremely common in English. It's a crucial part of basic vocabulary that's used constantly in both spoken and written communication, making it essential for even basic conversations.