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

See Examples For:

a lot

Investing at scale in new technology invites pushback and Intrator said he hears the word “no” a lot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

“Certainly, he’s getting a lot of opportunity,” manager Dave Roberts said of Sheehan.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

There's a lot that happens as the car goes.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

“There are a lot of unspoken rules around professionalism that older generations carry from pre-COVID,” Boccardo said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

There were a lot of people waiting to order food, and Kathy could understand why.

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

Related Words

• entirely
• substantially
• totally
• wholly