how many

idiom

used to ask or talk about an amount
How many people were there?
I was surprised by how many people were there.
How many times do I have to tell you to lock the door?

Examples of how many in a Sentence

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Sunday’s game against the Patriots could be significant both for how many firsts and how many lasts are seen. David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026 Officials didn’t say how many diners and workers at the restaurant may have been exposed. Josh Shaffer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Jan. 2026 Joseph Stalin is famously said to have asked how many divisions the pope had. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026 But consider how many holes this defense has. Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for how many

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“How many.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/how%20many. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.

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