numerous
Americanadjective
-
very many; being or existing in great quantity.
numerous visits;
numerous fish.
-
consisting of or comprising a great number of units or individuals.
Recent audiences have been more numerous.
adjective
-
being many
-
consisting of many units or parts
a numerous collection
Synonym Usage
See many.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of numerous
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin numerōsus “consisting of a great number, numerous,” equivalent to numer(us) number + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
Numerous means very large in quantity. You wouldn’t use numerous to describe how many feet you have (just two), but you could use it to describe the infinite number of shoes in your closet. The adjective numerous is related to the word number — which is no big surprise since it basically means "a large number of something." Use numerous to describe a copious or abundant amount that you can't give a specific number for. Numerous fans probably come out for the all-star game, for example. And numerous players wish they made the all-star team.
Vocabulary lists containing numerous
myPerspectives 8.1
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Much Ado: Synonyms for "Many"
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An Ember in the Ashes
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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.
A police report suggested that Vorcaro had made numerous calls and sent a number of messages to a phone number which officers say is linked to Moraes.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
These techniques revealed numerous nanoscale iron particles embedded throughout the glassy material.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
Echoing the findings of an earlier evaluation also ordered by Carter, Nardello & Co. found “a reporting environment that relies on numerous databases, self-reported information, manual data transfers, and decentralized reporting practices.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Erskine agreed, making notes as he read the manuscript, trying hard to keep up with the numerous unnamed characters and to understand the time frame.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
I have numerous Iranian friends who have the exact same story—it ruined dating for every male Iranian of my generation.”
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
