Many — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective pronoun noun /ˈme-nē/

Meaning & Definition of Many

Many (adjective)

  1. consisting of or amounting to a large but indefinite number
  2. being one of a large but indefinite number

Many (pronoun)

  1. a large number of persons or things

Many (noun)

  1. a large but indefinite number
  2. the great majority of people

Many (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being of a large but indefinite number

    "a journey of many miles begins with a single step"

    similar: beaucoup (slang), legion, multifold, multiple, multiplex, multitudinous, numerous, all kinds of, quite a few
    related: countless, innumerable, numberless, uncountable, unnumbered, untold, several, some, miscellaneous, mixed, sundry, various, divers, manifold, multifarious, myriad
    opposite: few
    near: countable, limited

Many (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in number

    similar: number, body, portion, coefficient, degree, amount, measure, quantity, quantum, volume

Related Entry: Word (noun)

Word is a different word from Many. The synonyms below are for word, not for many.

  1. a pronounceable series of letters having a distinct meaning especially in a particular field

    "my doctor used all of these medical words that I didn't understand"

    similar: expression, term
    related: linguistic form, monosyllable, morpheme, speech form, polysyllable, collocation, idiom, locution, phrase, coinage, colloquialism, euphemism, loanword, modernism, neologism, vernacularism

  2. something that is said

    "people who believe that the Bible is the literal word of God"

    similar: statement, utterance
    related: communication, message, announcement, declamation, declaration, manifesto, proclamation, pronouncement, verbalization, vocalization

  3. a report of recent events or facts not previously known

    "what's the latest word on the airplane crash?"

    similar: 411 (slang), advice(s), gen (chiefly British), info, information, intelligence, item, news, story, tidings, uncos (chiefly Scottish)
    related: announcement, bulletin, communication, correspondence, dispatch, message, reportage, dope, lowdown, scoop, tidbit, tip, gossip, rumor, tale, tattle, feedback, disinformation, propaganda

  4. a person's solemn declaration that he or she will do or not do something

    "I give you my word that I won't try to escape"

    similar: oath, pledge, promise, troth, vow
    related: appointment, arrangement, commitment, engagement, obligation, agreement, compact, contract, covenant, assurance, guarantee, guaranty, undertaking, bail, bond, deposit, gage, pawn, security, token, warranty

  5. a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned

    "the troops waited for their commanding officer to give the word"

    similar: behest, charge, command, commandment, decree, dictate, direction, directive, do, edict, imperative, injunction, instruction, order
    related: demand, requirement, mandate, countermand, counterorder, law, precept, prescript, prescription, rule, ordinance, regulation, statute
    near: appeal, entreaty, petition, plea, urging, proposal, recommendation, suggestion

  6. information or opinion that is widely disseminated without any authority or confirmation of accuracy

    "don't tell anyone I told you about the shake-up, but that's the word right now"

    similar: buzz, dish, gossip, hearsay, noise, report, rumor, scuttlebutt, talk, tattle
    related: tale, whisper, whispering, hint, intimation, rumbling, disinformation, propaganda, urban legend, dirt, scandal

  7. a word or phrase that must be spoken by a person in order to pass a guard

    "What's the word? demanded the sentry"

    similar: countersign, password, watchword
    related: shibboleth, sign, signal, hint, indication, parole

  8. an often stated observation regarding something from common experience

    "are there truer words than never look a gift horse in the mouth?"

    similar: adage, aphorism, apothegm, byword, epigram, maxim, proverb, saw, saying, sententia
    related: bromide, cliché, commonplace, platitude, wheeze, expression, felicity, axiom, motto, precept, truism, truth, formula, comment, note, reflection, remark

Related Entry: Words (noun)

Words is a different word from Many. The synonyms below are for words, not for many.

  1. a pronounceable series of letters having a distinct meaning especially in a particular field

    "my doctor used all of these medical words that I didn't understand"

    similar: expressions, terms
    related: linguistic forms, monosyllables, morphemes, speech forms, polysyllables, collocations, idioms, locutions, phrases, archaisms, coinages, colloquialisms, euphemisms, loanwords, modernisms, neologisms, vernacularisms

  2. something that is said

    "people who believe that the Bible is the literal word of God"

    similar: statements, utterances
    related: communications, messages, announcements, declamations, declarations, manifestos, proclamations, pronouncements, verbalizations, vocalizations

  3. a person's solemn declaration that he or she will do or not do something

    "I give you my word that I won't try to escape"

    similar: oaths, pledges, promises, troths, vows
    related: appointments, arrangements, commitments, engagements, obligations, agreements, compacts, contracts, covenants, assurances, guarantees, guaranties, undertakings, bails, bonds, deposits, gages, pawns, securities, tokens, warranties

  4. a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned

    "the troops waited for their commanding officer to give the word"

    similar: behests, charges, commandments, commands, decrees, dictates, directions, directives, dos, edicts, imperatives, injunctions, instructions, orders
    related: demands, requirements, mandates, countermands, counterorders, laws, precepts, prescriptions, prescripts, rules, ordinances, regulations, statutes
    near: appeals, entreaties, petitions, pleas, urgings, proposals, recommendations, suggestions

  5. a word or phrase that must be spoken by a person in order to pass a guard

    "What's the word? demanded the sentry"

    similar: countersigns, passwords, watchwords
    related: shibboleths, signs, signals, hints, indications, paroles

  6. an often stated observation regarding something from common experience

    "are there truer words than never look a gift horse in the mouth?"

    similar: adages, aphorisms, apothegms, bywords, epigrams, maxims, proverbs, saws, sayings, sententiae
    related: bromides, clichés, commonplaces, platitudes, wheezes, expressions, felicities, axioms, mottoes, precepts, truisms, truths, formulas, comments, notes, reflections, remarks

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Many

The most common words with a similar meaning to Many:

Slang: beaucoup
legion, multifold, multiple, multiplex, multitudinous, numerous, all kinds of, quite a few, number, body, portion, coefficient, degree, amount, measure, quantity, quantum, volume

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Many

Words with the opposite meaning of Many:

few

Related Words for Many

countless, innumerable, numberless, uncountable, unnumbered, untold, several, some, miscellaneous, mixed, sundry, various, divers, manifold, multifarious, myriad

Near Antonyms of Many

countable, limited

Word Forms of Many

Inflections: more, most

Origin & Etymology of Many

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

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Many

Words & Phrases Containing Many

many-sided, many-valued, many a/an, many and various, many hands make light work, many moons, many's the

Frequently Asked Questions about Many

What does "Many" mean?

"Many" means consisting of or amounting to a large but indefinite number. As an an adjective, a pronoun and a noun, it is defined as: consisting of or amounting to a large but indefinite number. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Many"?

Other words for "Many" include beaucoup, legion, multifold, multiple, multiplex, multitudinous, numerous and all kinds of. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Many" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Many"?

There are 35 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Many". Common alternatives include beaucoup, legion, multifold, multiple, multiplex, multitudinous, numerous, all kinds of, quite a few and number.

What is the opposite of "Many"?

Antonyms of "Many" include few. Near antonyms include countable and limited.

How do you use "Many" in a sentence?

Examples of "Many" in a sentence: "a journey of many miles begins with a single step".

Is "Many" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Many" can be used as an adjective, a pronoun and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Many" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Many" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Many"?

"Many" is pronounced /ˈme-nē/.