not so much (something) as (something else)
phrase
: less like (something) than (something else)
What bothered me was not so much what he said as how he said it.
Sailing is not so much a science as an art.
Cite this Entry
“Not so much (something) as (something else).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20so%20much%20%28something%29%20as%20%28something%20else%29. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
