by numbers
idiom
: in a way that follows the rules or instructions but that is not interesting or original
Dancing by numbers isn't good enough. You have to really feel the music.
Examples of by numbers in a Sentence
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Connection: Genuine dignity and belonging, not simply inclusion by numbers.
—
Nell Derick Debevoise, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Painting by numbers Mega-galleries emerged as a phenomenon of the ascendant market for contemporary art in the early 2000s, when wealthy collectors became less interested in buying up old masters and more interested in cozying up to living artists like Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst.
—Zachary Small, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
To illustrate this point, Robert Manning, professor emeritus of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, broke it down by numbers:
The National Park Service manages 433 units, spanning more than 85 million acres.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
There’s no resemblance to how decisions get made, validated, backed up by numbers that are given by multiple divisions.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
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Nell Derick Debevoise, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Painting by numbers Mega-galleries emerged as a phenomenon of the ascendant market for contemporary art in the early 2000s, when wealthy collectors became less interested in buying up old masters and more interested in cozying up to living artists like Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst.
—Zachary Small, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
To illustrate this point, Robert Manning, professor emeritus of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, broke it down by numbers:
The National Park Service manages 433 units, spanning more than 85 million acres.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
There’s no resemblance to how decisions get made, validated, backed up by numbers that are given by multiple divisions.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by numbers
Cite this Entry
“By numbers.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20numbers. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
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