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.
Khosla Ventures, founded in 2004, has been an investor in numerous companies that have grown into household names including DoorDash and Instacart.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
According to legend, Mallory climbed the church tower at the age of seven and there are numerous stained glass windows in memory of members of his family.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Afterward, I discovered numerous shingles on the front of my roof had been lifted or blown off.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
Her serve has often been fragile, leading to numerous double faults, and her forehand has also been liable to falter in crucial moments.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Her eyes darted between the numerous pieces of farming equipment around the barn, but none of it would make a dent in the Varangian.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
