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

“We don’t have a lot of savings, all our money is in our home,” said Gabe Cotton, a union carpenter in the Festus area.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

Well, if you let your paranoia run wild, quite a lot.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

"Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation given to new owners about looking after them," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

"I hate to say I'm honored by that, but I've done a lot," Trump added.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

Except a lot of longing on my part.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• entirely
• substantially
• totally
• wholly