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Showing results for a few. Search instead for a+few.
Synonyms

a few

Idioms  

  1. A small number of persons or things. This phrase can differ slightly from few used alone, which means “not many.” For example, The party was to end at eight, but a few stayed on indicates that a small number of guests remained, whereas The party began at eight, and few attended means that hardly any guests came. [Late 1200s] Also see quite a bit (few).

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On the arm of the sofa, where he had been seated just minutes before retreating into his bedroom for a few minutes of shut-eye, was a block of brown and white ice.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

The Premier League takes the views of stakeholders on board every summer and tweaks a few interpretations.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

I left my last full-time job a few months before I turned 70, but in reality, I never really stopped working.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

While those cook, prepare a few additional eggs and separate the yolks.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

The game’s called Rifle Range, and since I’ve gone with Dad to the shooting range a few times, I know my way around a rifle and target.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.