a lot

American  

[uh lot] / ə ˈlɒt /

noun

1. lot.

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adverb

1. lot.

a lot Idioms  

1. Very many, a large number; also, very much. For example, A lot of people think the economy is declining, or Sad movies always made her cry a lot. It is sometimes put as a whole lot for greater emphasis, as in I learned a whole lot in his class. It may also emphasize a comparative indication of amount, as in We need a whole lot more pizza to feed everyone, or Mary had a lot less nerve than I expected. [Colloquial; early 1800s]

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Spelling

As a noun and adverb, a lot is frequently misspelled as alot.

Etymology

Origin of a lot

First recorded in 1820–30

Compare meaning

How does a-lot compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• allot vs. a lot

Example Sentences

It spans just over 1,500 square feet and sits on a lot that offers more than 6,000 square feet, providing ample outdoor space for tenants.

From MarketWatch

“There was a lot of cool old vintage recording gear that Jimmy could afford to maintain,” said Jamison.

From The Wall Street Journal

It feels like a bygone era in a lot of ways.

From Los Angeles Times

We didn’t have a television for a lot of my younger years.

From Los Angeles Times

“People have done so much stuff to me, record labels and a lot of things like that, that it don’t faze me no more,” JOP said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• entirely
• substantially
• totally
• wholly