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

“My parents wouldn’t let me watch a lot of sitcoms because the kids talked back at their parents,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

Music City “is attracting a lot of wealthy residents who move there for jobs and Tennessee’s favorable tax environment,” Redfin noted.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026

The companies have received some early-stage government funding and they’re angling for a lot more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

"When he was 16, he then got his junior ranking up very, very fast compared to a lot of his peers, because he was ready to play."

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026

“The good news is, you caught this early. It should heal a lot quicker than if you’d let it get worse.”

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Related Words

• entirely
• substantially
• totally
• wholly