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

Example Sentences

Adjective a journey of many miles begins with a single step
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Along with clothing items, many people also use it on sheets, duvet covers, and sofa cushions. Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, 20 Mar. 2023 Even though the Planetary Health Diet is more approachable than veganism for many people, its guidelines are still a bit confusing and intimidating. Christina Manian, Rdn, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2023 Inequality is a palpable phenomenon and the future for many people does not look promising. Holly Jones, Variety, 20 Mar. 2023 Now, especially in Baghdad, many young people want to move on. Joao Silva Alissa J. Rubin, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2023 California Mayor Karen Bass says the city will house 4,000 homeless people during her first 100 days March 15, 2023 One of the obstacles to addressing poverty is the discomfort many people have around it. Marissa Evans, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2023 Under current state law, many unemployed people are already required to search for employment in order to receive welfare benefits. Hunter Turpin, Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2023 The gunfire just outside of Lamar High School in Arlington happened around 6:55 a.m., before many students had arrived on campus for the first day of classes after spring break, officials said. David K. Li, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2023 Now, three years later, many people have settled into working from home and love it. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 19 Mar. 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 30 Mar. 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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