many
Americanadjective
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constituting or forming a large number; numerous.
many people.
- Synonyms:
- various, sundry, divers, myriad, multitudinous, multifarious
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noting each one of a large number (usually followed by a oran ).
For many a day it rained.
noun
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a large or considerable number of persons or things.
A good many of the beggars were blind.
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the many, the greater part of humankind.
pronoun
determiner
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a large number of
many coaches
many times
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( as pronoun; functioning as plural )
many are seated already
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each of a considerable number of
many a man
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a great number of
as many apples as you like
too many clouds to see
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( as pronoun; functioning as plural )
I have as many as you
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noun
Synonym Usage
Many, innumerable, manifold, numerous imply the presence or succession of a large number of units. Many is a popular and common word for this idea: many times. Numerous, a more formal word, refers to a great number or to very many units: letters too numerous to mention. Innumerable denotes a number that is beyond count or, more loosely, that is extremely difficult to count: the innumerable stars in the sky. Manifold implies not only that the number is large but also that there is variety or complexity.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of many
First recorded before 900; Middle English mani, meni, Old English manig, menig; akin to Old Saxon, Old High German manag, menig, Danish mange, Gothic manags
Explanation
If you have a great number of refrigerator magnets, you have many of them. Many means "a lot of items." Many can be traced back to the Welsh word mynych meaning "frequent." To get many of something, you do something frequently, or often, like having many miles on a car because you often drive it long distances. If you ask, "How many people will be at the party?" you want to know the number of guests who are expected. If the answer is "many," you know there will be numerous people, though you haven't been given an exact figure.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Still others handle many of Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce orders, as do the backrooms of stores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
At the height of the activity in the summer of 2023, locals said there were as many as 20 to 30 trucks per day dumping waste at the ancient bluebell woodland.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
"Despite what politicians say about the international legal system, judges still respect and apply international law in many countries around the world," said Sophie Marjanac, legal director at the Redwater Insights think tank.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
“We still need people that unload trailers,” said Montgomery, adding that overall sales growth could require as many warehouse workers as today.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
She is told to study the barracks across the street from her house for twenty-four hours and document how many Japanese soldiers come and go, when, and in what direction.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
With newer, more powerful chips continually being developed, operators of data centers have to keep updating chips while depreciating the value of older assets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
But, having seen how Brighton troubled his side, Arteta will be working to find solutions and make an unfamiliar challenge a more familiar one - as he did against Manchester City last season.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Porsche said customer demand for the 911 remains very strong, with deliveries up 12% on year, while demand for its more exclusive and high-performance derivatives is also strong.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
West Midlands mayor Richard Parker, who backed Longbow with £3m from a government fund, said the project will be followed by the firm's Roadster model, creating more than 200 skilled jobs.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
When Time runs an article about Joey’s arrival in Louisiana, more than four thousand letters flood the offices of Carville to celebrate her arrival.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, holds a direct equity stake in Firmus, and it is also a customer and hardware supplier to the Australian firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
"We're already one of the most expensive jurisdictions."
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The peer-reviewed study found the pinnipeds were most sensitive to sounds around 3.2 kilohertz.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
While most of the companies targeted for the tech visa restriction were Indian, Vance called out Microsoft.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
He’d be at it most of the summer.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
