much

1 of 3

adjective

ˈməch 

more ˈmȯr  ; most ˈmōst 

1

a

: great in quantity, amount, extent, or degree

There is much truth in what you say.

taken too much time

b

: great in importance or significance

nothing much happened

2

obsolete : many in number

3

: more than is expected or acceptable : more than enough

The large pizza is a bit much for one person.

We spent so much money.

see also:

too much

much

2 of 3

adverb

more; most

1

a(1)

: to a great degree or extent : considerably

much happier

(2)

: very

much gratified

b(1)

: frequently, often

doesn't visit the family much

(2)

: by or for a long time

didn't get to work much before noon

c

: by far

was much the brightest student

2

: nearly, approximately

looks much the way his father did

see also:

as much as much as

much

3 of 3

noun

1

: a great quantity, amount, extent, or degree

She gave away much of what she owned.

2

: something considerable or impressive

was not much to look at

see also:

as much as not much of a

Synonyms of much

Adjective

• significant
• important
• major
• big
• historic
• substantial

Adverb

• very
• extremely
• terribly
• too
• incredibly
• far
• highly
• so
• really
• damn
• badly
• damned
• seriously
• desperately
• greatly
• most
• that
• severely
• heavily
• intensely
• especially
• particularly
• such
• full
• wildly
• real

Noun

• plenty
• ton
• loads
• lot
• dozen
• slew
• deal
• bunch
• wealth
• chunk
• quantity
• pile

Examples of much in a Sentence

Adjective

actually, nothing much changed

Adverb

The new car is much better on gas mileage.

They both talk too much.

Thank you so much for your help.

He is much interested in the project.

They were much pleased by the compliment.

She doesn't visit her family much.

The town looks much the same.

We came to much the same conclusion.

We left the house much as we found it.

Noun

much of what people think they know about words is inaccurate or downright false

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent years, much of it blamed on the TTP, a separate group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021. — ABC News, 30 July 2026

This is the framing that Musk — and much of the US political right — seems to have adopted today. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

Adverb

But the version posed to voters this year would take much longer — with the city’s first even-year election happening in 2034. — Tess Riski july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026

The move suggests Beijing is expanding its long-range strike capability across a much larger fleet instead of limiting it to a few advanced vessels. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026

Noun

The hope was that Freese would grow into the tournament, and through his first three games at the World Cup, he wasn’t called on to do much. — Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 8 July 2026

Luke Bronin will not be able to do much. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Adverb, and Noun

Middle English muche large, much, from michel, muchel, from Old English micel, mycel; akin to Old High German mihhil great, large, Latin magnus, Greek megas, Sanskrit mahat

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing much

• a bit much
• add up to much
• amount to much
• as much
• as much as
• for much longer
• half again as much/many as
• half as big/much/good as
• half as much/many again as
• have any/much success
• have much to commend it
• have much to recommend it
• leave much to be desired
• like so much
• make much of
• much as
• much less
• much maligned
• much of a muchness
• much to recommend them
• much to someone's regret
• much to someone's surprise
• (much) to the despair of
• much to the regret of (someone)
• never so much as
• not amount to much
• not do much for
• nothing so much as
• not making much sense
• not much
• not much call for
• not much cop
• not much good
• not much good at
• not much of a
• not much on
• not much to look at
• not so much (something) as (something else)
• not think much of
• not up to much
• pretty much
• so much as
• so much for
• so much so (that)
• so much the better
• take much notice of
• that's not saying much
• think much of
• too much
• very much
• very much so
• without (so much as) a by your leave

Rhymes for much

• clutch
• crutch
• cutch
• dutch
• hutch
• mutch
• such
• touch
• insomuch
• overmuch
• nonesuch
• retouch

Kids Definition

much

1 of 3 adjective

ˈməch 

more ˈmō(ə)r 

ˈmȯ(ə)r

; most ˈmōst 

1

: great in quantity, amount, or extent

has much money

takes too much time

2

: great in importance or significance

nothing much happened

much

2 of 3 adverb

more; most

1

a

: to a great or high level or extent

much happier

b

: very

much obliged

2

: just about : nearly

looks much as it did years ago

much

3 of 3 noun

1

: a great quantity, amount, extent, or part

much that was said is false

2

: something important or impressive

not much to look at