many

1 of 3

adjective

more ˈmȯr How to pronounce many (audio) ; most ˈmōst How to pronounce many (audio)
1
: consisting of or amounting to a large but indefinite number
worked for many years
the many advantages of an education
2
: being one of a large but indefinite number
many a man
many another student

many

2 of 3

pronoun

plural in construction
: a large number of persons or things
many are called

many

3 of 3

noun

plural in construction
1
: a large but indefinite number
a good many of them
2
: the great majority of people
the many
Phrases
as many
: the same in number
saw three plays in as many days

Examples of many in a Sentence

Adjective a journey of many miles begins with a single step
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
At any rate, many Americans likely don’t have a good understanding of tariffs. Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 27 Oct. 2024 Chalamet posed for photos with several of his doppelgängers present at the event — many of whom were dressed as the actor’s most famous characters, including Willy Wonka and Dune‘s Paul Atreides. Zoe G. Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2024 California remains the nation’s largest production hub, but many have expressed fear that its market share is falling as other locations develop infrastructure and a crew base. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Oct. 2024 For more than two years, many of the country’s emergency rooms and have struggled to see patients in a timely manner. Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for many 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'many.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Pronoun, and Noun

Middle English, from Old English manig; akin to Old High German manag many, Old Church Slavic mŭnogŭ much

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of many was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near many

Cite this Entry

“Many.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/many. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

many

1 of 3 adjective
more ˈmō(ə)r How to pronounce many (audio)
ˈmȯ(ə)r
; most ˈmōst How to pronounce many (audio)
1
: amounting to a large number
worked for many years
2
: being one of a large but indefinite number
told many a tale

many

2 of 3 pronoun
: a large number
many of the students were late

many

3 of 3 noun
: a large but indefinite number
a good many of them

More from Merriam-Webster on many

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!