many

1 of 3

adjective

more ˈmȯr How to pronounce many (audio) ; most ˈmōst How to pronounce many (audio)
1
: consisting of or amounting to a large but indefinite number
worked for many years
the many advantages of an education
2
: being one of a large but indefinite number
many a man
many another student

many

2 of 3

pronoun

plural in construction
: a large number of persons or things
many are called

many

3 of 3

noun

plural in construction
1
: a large but indefinite number
a good many of them
2
: the great majority of people
the many
Phrases
as many
: the same in number
saw three plays in as many days

Examples of many in a Sentence

Adjective a journey of many miles begins with a single step
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But when the ball was snapped, many of those defenders peeled back. Jasmine Cui, NBC News, 19 Nov. 2023 Indie and art film producer Jon Kilik, unlike many, remains hopeful for the personal, mid-budget movie for grown-ups. Will Tizard, Variety, 19 Nov. 2023 Dildos can be used for vaginal stimulation and many can be used for anal play, also known as pegging. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 19 Nov. 2023 From the energy emanating from bustling boardwalks to the stretches of untouched sands, Delaware's coastal wonders promise many seaside encounters. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2023 On November 16, Hotel San Cristóbal Baja, by the trendy Bunkhouse Hotels, opened the doors of Cosecha, an organic eatery, nestled directly in the property’s lush garden, from which many of the ingredients are sourced. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 18 Nov. 2023 Bridget included many gifts her daughter was given, as well as recommendations from other parents and Parents editors. Bridget Shirvell, Parents, 18 Nov. 2023 Far from the fighting, the Israel-Gaza war divides friends, families For many, statements from local and national political leaders who equate support for Palestinians with backing Hamas have made matters worse. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023 Despite employing many of these systems across Gaza, Israeli security services were caught off guard by Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7. WIRED, 7 Nov. 2023
Noun
New York Times Reporter Taylor Lorenz was one of many who shared the viral videos on the platform. Danielle Garrand, CBS News, 4 June 2020 The investigation is just one of many led by House Democrats since taking the majority in the 2018 elections. Christal Hayes, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2019 Brazil's humiliation was complete when the home crowd - many of whom had been reduced to bitter tears in the first half hour - started cheering every German pass. SI.com, 13 June 2018 An outspoken critic of the president, Dent has been someone the press corps relied on to publicly say what many of his colleagues were privately thinking. Amber Phillips, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2018 Silverstein is one of many who shared the TV writer Google doc Tuesday. Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2018 Last April many voiced their frustration at a county commission meeting. CBS News, 19 Dec. 2017 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'many.' 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

Adjective, Pronoun, and Noun

Middle English, from Old English manig; akin to Old High German manag many, Old Church Slavonic mŭnogŭ much

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of many was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near many

Cite this Entry

“Many.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/many. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

many

1 of 3 adjective
more ˈmō(ə)r How to pronounce many (audio)
ˈmȯ(ə)r
; most ˈmōst How to pronounce many (audio)
1
: amounting to a large number
worked for many years
2
: being one of a large but indefinite number
told many a tale

many

2 of 3 pronoun
: a large number
many of the students were late

many

3 of 3 noun
: a large but indefinite number
a good many of them

More from Merriam-Webster on many

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