more or less

adverb

1

: to a varying or undetermined extent or degree : somewhat

they were more or less willing to help

2

: with small variations : approximately

contains 16 acres more or less

Synonyms

• about
• all but
• almost
• borderline
• fair [chiefly British]
• fairly
• feckly [chiefly Scottish]
• most
• much
• near
• nearly
• next to
• nigh
• practically
• somewhere
• virtually
• well-nigh

Examples of more or less in a Sentence

the lot is 16 acres more or less

most couples in the survey said that they were more or less happy in their marriage

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump, evidently entering his late Liberace era, has been slowly adding gold leafing and other golden accoutrements to more or less every surface of the Oval over the last couple months. —Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025

Definitely two different audiences, but with more or less the same message. —Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025

Parking problems began, more or less, with the first vehicles. —Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

And, yes, the Celtics more or less chloroformed the Magic with a 36-13 third quarter, thanks in part to Paolo Banchero, Orlando’s young star, being relegated to the bench after picking up his fifth foul. —Steve Buckley, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for more or less

• adulteress
• adventuress
• nevertheless
• abbess
• abscess
• access
• address
• assess
• caress
• confess
• depress
• digress

Kids Definition

more or less

adverb

1

: to a varying or uncertain degree : somewhat

they were more or less willing to help

2

: with small variations : approximately

contains 16 acres more or less