Synonyms of manynext
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
see also:

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

Examples of many in a Sentence

Adjective a journey of many miles begins with a single step
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
By many definitions, Pfister, 47, is an American turnaround story. Kyung Lah, CNN Money, 25 July 2026 For decades, these iconic places and many others have graced the UNESCO World Heritage List, a collection of the planet’s most treasured natural and cultural sites. Drew Kann, AJC.com, 25 July 2026 Like many candidates for county executive, addressing the property tax debacle in Jackson County is one of Lake’s main goals. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026 That’s because when the vouchers went universal, many families currently enrolled in Catholic schools started receiving them in addition to new students. Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for many

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Many.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/many. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster