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.
Strong shaking in Panama City, over 200 kilometers from the epicenter, sent panicked people pouring into the streets from the capital's numerous high-rise buildings.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr has already broken numerous records, and her NFL half-time performance this weekend is set to level up her list again.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The department deployed numerous fire engines, bulldozers, four helicopters, two air tankers and two “super scooper” aircrafts, Katon said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
This understanding comes from numerous experiments and theoretical studies.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
In the summer the dust devils of the llano are numerous.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
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.
