more or less

adverb

Definition of more or lessnext
1
as in almost
very close to but not completely the lot is 16 acres more or less

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pretty
to some degree or extent most couples in the survey said that they were more or less happy in their marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in approximately
close to but not exactly the box weighs 60 pounds more or less

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of more or less From that point on, Kusama’s absorbing and fresh art, once charged by avant-garde energies, became more or less a meaning-free expression of market principles, an exercise in branding. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 That more or less happened this week, with dozens of Fox News segments about Piker, portraying him as a left-wing kingmaker and the id of the socialist movement. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Filling empty beds The national incarceration rate – which includes both jails, for short-term detention, and prisons, for sentences of more than a year – has more or less crept downward since 2010. — Ella Siegrist, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026 That all happens within the first 15 seconds; the remainder of the ad is more or less incoherent. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for more or less
Recent Examples of Synonyms for more or less
  1. almost
  2. pretty
  3. approximately
  4. practically
  5. quite
  6. about
  7. nearly
  8. relatively
Adverb
  • That’s nearly a 50-point gap in batting average, almost a 100-point margin in on-base percentage and over 200 points of separation in slugging percentage.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • That's enough to be a smooth operator with almost all your tasks, especially casual browser activity.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of almost
Adverb
  • If the premise is that for the Commanders to excel, Daniels needs to excel — and that’s a pretty foolproof premise — then Blough’s ability to keep his quarterback out of danger and maximize his extraordinary abilities is paramount.
    — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Aside from both being models, the mother-daughter duo share some pretty significant style overlap.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of pretty
Adverb
  • Authorities are seeking the confiscation of four luxury vehicles worth approximately 825,000 euros, or about $957,000.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The epicenter was approximately 3 miles northeast of Willits, above sea level.
    — CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of approximately
Adverb
  • It’s been more than a week since deadly flash floods killed hundreds and left thousands missing along the China-Nepal border — and practically nothing is known about the victims on the Chinese side.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Fshaoes Oversized Button-Down Shirt Another billowy option, this oversized button-down shirt is practically begging to be worn as a beach cover-up.
    — Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of practically
Adverb
  • If your lawn grass was already quite thin, topdressing with a thin layer of quality topsoil is recommended.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026
  • As a shocking chart by the Wall Street Journal illustrates, the amount of capital spent on non-data center construction in the US has quite literally fallen off a cliff, while the capital deployed to build data centers soars into the stratosphere.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of quite
Adverb
  • At about midnight, the mayflies stopped flying and the fish disappeared.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Karina, a former Category 4 hurricane spinning about 755 miles east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and Tropical Storm Marie, churning about 705 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of about
Adverb
  • Alquézar has overseen the team’s growth from roughly a dozen staff to nearly 20, backed by new ownership from Quantum Pacific and the arrival of coaches Simone Salvà and Vicky Travascio.
    — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Chakravarthy joined Adobe as a top executive nearly seven years ago.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of nearly
Adverb
  • On closer-range shots, Brughmans often adopts a wide base with his chest slightly forward and his arms relatively low.
    — Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Nuclear power, where viable, can offer another source of relatively stable generation costs.
    — Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of relatively

Browse Nearby Words

more
more or less
moreover
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“More or less.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/more%20or%20less. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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