Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective copious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of copious are abundant, ample, and plentiful. While all these words mean "more than sufficient without being excessive," copious stresses largeness of supply rather than fullness or richness.

copious examples of bureaucratic waste

How do abundant and plentiful relate to one another, in the sense of copious?

Abundant suggests an even greater or richer supply than does plentiful.

streams abundant with fish

When can ample be used instead of copious?

While in some cases nearly identical to copious, ample implies a generous sufficiency to satisfy a particular requirement.

ample food to last the winter

When is plentiful a more appropriate choice than copious?

The words plentiful and copious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, plentiful implies a great or rich supply.

peaches are plentiful this summer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of copious Heavy pruning—removing one-third or more of a plant’s foliage—prompts copious amounts of new leaves to unfurl, which leaf miner moths prefer. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2025 Like all variants of Caribbean carnival celebrations, there’s copious drinking and dancing as the joy of being Black always supersedes any hardship. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 16 June 2025 That’s why the CAC 40 is flat, why the S&P 500 isn’t, and why copious amounts of foreign savings continue to make their way to the United States. John Tamny, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025 The original hardwood floors are lovely, as is the copious closet space. Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for copious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copious
Adjective
  • Jeff Bezos was set to celebrate his lavish wedding to Lauren Sánchez at the Fondazione Cini, a cultural institution on the island which occupies a large part of a Benedictine monastery established there in 982 A.D.
    Max Norman, New Yorker, 27 June 2025
  • The fourth-richest person in the world is set to have a lavish wedding in the Italian city, an event that has caused consternation online and in Venice.
    James Powel, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Uranium supplies are abundant, and their prices aren’t nearly as volatile as the prices are for other fuels.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025
  • The first step to calling more love into your life is to believe in your heart that love is abundant and everywhere.
    Goth Shakira, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • The console has ample space on top to display decor like lamps, vases, and books.
    Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 5 July 2025
  • Drown them with an ample amount of water and stir to confirm that everything is cold to the touch.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2025
Adjective
  • In the lower layers of the mountain, similar veins were plentiful, and one was even enriched with clays.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2025
  • The plentiful evidence for this is both quantitative and anecdotal.
    Richard Carleton Hacker, Robb Report, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Shifting From Reactive To Proactive Security: Organizations often spend excessive time reacting to rather than preventing threats.
    Bojan Šimić, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Watch for excessive panting, lagging behind, or stumbling.
    Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • The narratively profuse mystery game Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is like living in a Bikini Kill song followed by a Phoebe Bridgers ballad.
    Harold Goldberg, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
  • Dodgers officials, however, have been profuse in their praise of Betts since the start of the season.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024
Adjective
  • Howard's film arrived at a bountiful time for the actor.
    EW.com, EW.com, 30 June 2025
  • Evoking orchids, as well as summer’s bountiful lavender and clematis arrivals, the hue grants a rare opportunity for dabbling in many competing color trends at once through this shoe purchase.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Having such long races necessitated a wider competitive field and that created an experience that’s even more riotous, where there’s an equivalent of a NASCAR-like crash at every corner.
    Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 12 June 2025
  • With vibrant, squiggly animation that relies heavily on archival imagery and a riotous sense of rhythm, Odermatt delivers a short that is both a parody and a love letter to one of opera and pop culture’s greatest 20th century icons.
    Jamie Lang, Variety, 7 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Copious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copious. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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