much

American  

[muhch] / mʌtʃ /

adjective

more, most

1. great in quantity, measure, or degree.

   too much cake.

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noun

1. a great quantity, measure, or degree.

   Much of his research was unreliable.

2. a great, important, or notable thing or matter.

   The house is not much to look at.

adverb

more, most

1. to a great extent or degree; greatly; far.

   to talk too much; much heavier.

2. nearly, approximately, or about.

   This is much like the others.

3. Slang. (used after an adjective, noun, or verb to form a question that comments on someone’s intense feelings or extreme actions in a way that is critical, sarcastic, teasing, etc.): Geeking out much?

   Jealous much?

   Geeking out much?

idioms

1. not so much, not.

2. much as,

   1. almost the same as.

      We need exercise, much as we need nourishment.

   2. however much.

      Much as she wanted to stay at the party, she had to leave.

3. too much,

   1. excellent; great.

      His band is too much, especially live in concert.

   2. overwhelming or intolerable.

      His memories of the life they had together were just too much.

   3. outrageous; extreme.

      She's too much—but so hilarious!

4. make much of,

   1. to treat, represent, or consider as of great importance.

      to make much of trivial matters.

   2. to treat with great consideration; show fondness for; flatter.

much British  

/ mʌtʃ /

determiner

1. 1. (usually used with a negative) a great quantity or degree of

      there isn't much honey left

   2. ( as pronoun )

      much has been learned from this

2. informal rather excessive

3. exactly that

   I suspected as much when I heard

4. See make of

5. not to any appreciable degree or extent

   he's not much of an actor really

6. informal of a low standard

   this beer is not up to much

7. (used with a negative) to have a high opinion of

   I don't think much of his behaviour

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adverb

1. considerably

   they're much better now

2. practically; nearly (esp in the phrase much the same )

3. (usually used with a negative) often; a great deal

   it doesn't happen much in this country

4. even though; although

   much as I'd like to, I can't come

adjective

1. (predicative; usually used with a negative) impressive or important

   this car isn't much

much More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing much

• (much) sought after
• as much
• as much as
• make much of
• not miss a trick (much)
• not think much of
• pretty much
• so much
• so much for
• so much the better
• take it (just so much)
• take on (too much)
• too much of a good thing
• without so much as

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Etymology

Origin of much

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English muche, moche, shortened variant of muchel, mochel, Old English mycel; replacing Middle English miche(l), Old English micel “great, much” ( mickle ), cognate with Old Norse mikill, Gothic mikils, Greek mégal-, expanded stem of mégas “great”

Example Sentences

Mrs Mansfield says: "Unfortunately, my legs have gone and I can't do as much as I used to but I still do a fair bit."

From BBC

At polling stations that had seen large queues form during the 2020 election, a much smaller number of voters trickled in.

From The Wall Street Journal

In Canada, however, it’s as much a part of the culture as poutine and maple syrup.

From Los Angeles Times

I do have a preview of the Tule River Canyon a quarter century from now, and it won’t be the place I have known for so much of my life.

From Los Angeles Times

And Thigpen was misled; he was never subject to the estate tax, as his estate was much smaller than the exclusion amount.

From Salon

Related Words

• a great deal
• considerably
• exceptionally
• extremely
• frequently
• highly
• indeed
• often
• regularly
• very