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:
If you are open, anybody can teach you many things about yourself and your profession.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Generating many frequencies simultaneously could be far more useful because each could potentially serve as a separate channel for transmitting information at the same time.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
“The fact that we learn so many languages opens so many doors for us,” Aramburú said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
The ban has been difficult for Australia to enforce, and it has been widely acknowledged that many children under the age of 16 have still been able to access and use banned apps.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
I shake my head, not because I’m not okay, but in frustration that I swallowed so many of his lies without question.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Warmer water also takes up more space, raising sea levels and bringing a greater risk of coastal flooding - while intense ocean heat can be devastating for sea habitats, such as coral reefs.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
And you work on things: if you have an aptitude for something, you’re more inclined to work on it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Researchers also want to learn more about how the molecules are produced, how they move through the body, and how they influence different physiological processes.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
"Whether that's staying here and fighting for my place or potentially going elsewhere, I'm still unsure at the moment until I get some more intel."
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
In time, the pinpointing of control areas will become more and more detailed.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Sam Singh, founder of Uniform Direct which has stores in Lincolnshire, said items such as trainers and school shoes were often the most expensive.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
It is now spreading across Australia, most recently killing more than 1,000 crested terns and a long-nosed fur seal, the first detection in a mainland mammal.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
Soccer is the most popular sport in Sudan, so it’s no surprise he knows how to kick a ball with his big leg.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Scalp and the Storm Shadow, have been some of the most effective weapons provided to Ukraine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
To most people, the name means "This was once a horse," but to Don Alonso, it meant a steed above and beyond all other horses in the world!
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
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.
