numerous

adjective

nu·​mer·​ous ˈnü-mə-rəs How to pronounce numerous (audio)
ˈnüm-rə-;
ˈnyü-mə-,
ˈnyüm-rə-
: consisting of great numbers of units or individuals
born into a numerous family
also : many
received numerous complaints
The people I'd like to thank are too numerous to mention.
numerously adverb
numerousness noun

Examples of numerous in a Sentence

She decided to leave for numerous reasons. The birds are becoming more numerous in this area.
Recent Examples on the Web While DeSantis currently leads the number of events in Iowa at 108, Ramaswamy is likely to surpass him by the end of the week, with numerous events scheduled across the Hawkeye State over the next few days. Lindsey Pipia, NBC News, 27 Nov. 2023 The chance to emulate the Dude and abide by the utmost extreme is now up for grabs, with numerous costumes and pieces of ephemera from The Big Lebowski headed to auction next month. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2023 Pavlik made numerous right-wing statements in the weeks leading up to the Capitol riot claiming that the election had been stolen from then-President Donald Trump and calling for violent action, prosecutors said. Jason Meisner Chicago Tribune (tns), arkansasonline.com, 27 Nov. 2023 Eaton's online footprint contains numerous references pointing to an interest in libertarian politics and radical self-reliance, according to a review by ABC News. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 27 Nov. 2023 In numerous documents, the union has presented myriad numbers and facts in an attempt to quantify the problem — along with salary adjustments to rectify it and the potential for a DROP program. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2023 Since then, McDonnell has worked as a director, producer and cinematographer on numerous projects, ranging from commercials to feature films. Caroline Brew, Variety, 25 Nov. 2023 Based in Nashville, Poppy & Peep creates beautiful boxes of bonbons in numerous themes and flavors, all packaged in adorable boxes that are great for gifting. Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 There are numerous laugh-out-loud moments in Saltburn, Emerald Fennell’s darkly comic and voyeuristic exploration of the British aristocracy being released on Friday by Amazon MGM Studios. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'numerous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Latin numerōsus, from numerus number entry 2 + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of numerous was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near numerous

Cite this Entry

“Numerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/numerous. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

numerous

adjective
nu·​mer·​ous ˈn(y)üm-(ə-)rəs How to pronounce numerous (audio)
: consisting of great numbers
numerous friends
numerously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on numerous

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