several
Americanadjective
-
being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind.
several ways of doing it.
-
They went their several ways.
-
several occasions.
-
Archaic. single; particular.
an examination of each several case.
-
Law. binding two or more persons who may be sued separately on a common obligation.
pronoun
determiner
adjective
-
(prenominal) various; separate
the members with their several occupations
-
(prenominal) distinct; different
three several times
-
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.
Vocabulary lists containing several
Vocabulary from the Constitution of the United States
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The American Crisis," Vocabulary from 11-A Supernumerary Crisis
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"A Book of Nonsense"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The result places England in uncharted territory, with several players in the squad never having tasted defeat on the international stage - winger Jess Breach was unbeaten in her previous 59 caps.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
She was hired after substituting at the school for several years, they said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Authorities are investigating a series of letters containing suspicious substances sent to congressional and election offices in several states, US media reported.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
And if long-term yields really are topping, there are several ways investors can potentially profit from the reversal.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
I had checked several sets and the weather had turned sour.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
