several

American  

[sev-er-uhl, sev-ruhl] / ˈsɛv ər əl, ˈsɛv rəl /

adjective

1. being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind.

   several ways of doing it.

2. respective; individual.

   They went their several ways.

3. separate; different.

   several occasions.

4. Archaic. single; particular.

   an examination of each several case.

5. Law. binding two or more persons who may be sued separately on a common obligation.

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pronoun

(used with a plural verb)

1. several persons or things.

   He's written ten novels, and several have sold very well.

   Several of my friends are divorced.

several British  

/ ˈsɛvrəl /

determiner

1. 1. more than a few; an indefinite small number

      several people objected

   2. ( as pronoun; functioning as plural )

      several of them know

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adjective

1. (prenominal) various; separate

   the members with their several occupations

2. (prenominal) distinct; different

   three several times

3. law capable of being dealt with separately; not shared Compare joint

Etymology

Origin of several

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, equivalent to Latin sēpar “separate” + -ālis -al ¹

Explanation

Two is a "couple" and more than two or three is several. If you eat four donuts you can say you had several but you may have had too many — especially if you get a stomach-ache. Several is a word that shows size or number when you can’t be specific or when you want to summarize. If three, four, or five of you hang out, then you're spending time with several friends. Inviting 30 people over and telling your parents that several friends stopped by would be stretching the truth and you might get grounded. For how many weeks? Possibly several.

Example Sentences

Swalwell and his team threatened legal action against several individuals, Swalwell’s attorney Elias Dabaie confirmed to The Times.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

In addition to building the vast power facility on the site, there are plans for several hydrogen production factories.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

"Asim Munir's diplomatic status was boosted by the war with India primarily and then his outreach in Washington DC," said Hassan Abbas, a Pakistani-American author of several books on the region's politics and security.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Last month, officials from several Gulf states met defense companies at a British army barracks close to Buckingham Palace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Dots appeared and disappeared for several minutes, and I felt a little guilty for putting him on the spot.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows