few

1 of 2

adjective

1

: consisting of or amounting to only a small number

one of our few pleasures

2

: at least some but indeterminately small in number

—used with a

caught a few fish

fewness noun

see also:

few and far between

fewness

2 of 2

noun

few·​ness

plural -es

1

: the state of being few : paucity

2

: smallness in amount or quantity

according to the fewness of years

—Leviticus 25:16 (Authorized Version)

Examples of few in a Sentence

Adjective

He caught fewer fish than the rest of us.

There are fewer children at the school this year.

Not many people came, but the few people who did enjoyed themselves.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Washington — The House approved an effort on Thursday to send fresh assistance to Ukraine after a few Republican members joined with Democrats to force a vote on the issue. —Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 5 June 2026

Similar concerns were raised about the merger of the SAG and AFTRA health plans in 2017, which was followed by a significant curtailment in benefits a few years later. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 5 June 2026

Clients hit a few balls in front of a launch monitor — a device that measures the physical data of a golf shot and club swing, and then feeds the findings in real time through an algorithm to generate club recommendations. —Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 5 June 2026

Ionic liquids are essentially salts that stay in liquid form even in the vacuum of space, which very few materials can do. —Omar Kardoudi june 05, New Atlas, 5 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English fewenesse, from Old English fēawnes, fēanes, from fēawa, fēa few + -nes -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Phrases Containing few

• a few bob
• a good few
• as few as
• few and far between
• few if any
• have a few
• have a few minutes/moments
• have a few too many
• keeps a few tricks up his sleeve
• man/woman of few words
• of few words
• quite a few
• say a few words
• the/a chosen few

Rhymes for few

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

few

1 of 3 pronoun

ˈfyü 

: not many persons or things

—used in plural

few were present

few

2 of 3 adjective

1

: amounting to only a small number

one of the few sports I play

2

: not many but some

caught a few fish

fewness noun

few

3 of 3 noun

1

: a small number of units or individuals

a few of them

2

: a special limited number

the select few