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).

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

a few

For the Dodgers, the worst tickets seldom fall to market rate, because the team would rather live with a few empty seats rather than condition fans to hold out for a lower price.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

Show up to a group trip prepared to swallow a few expenses here and there, instead of holding everyone to the penny.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

“I think the assumption that only a few companies can be at the frontier may not look so true a year from now,” Goertzel said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026

Kathleen and Shirley have met three times - twice in Scotland in 2007 and 2019 and then once in the US a few weeks ago.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

When she first arrived with a few hundred prisoners, she thought it would only be weeks before the Americans rescued them.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• individual
• numerous
• particular
• precise
• special
• specific
• specified
• various