DictionaryAI

many

ME-nee/ˈmɛni/

Adjectivemore (entry), most

Often confused with much

6 meanings of many

Practice

  1. 1
    great number ofdeterminer
    A large but unspecified number of countable people or things; also used after as, so, too, how, or this to state or compare a number.

    Many residents complained about the new parking rules.

    He owns many books on military history.

    Similarnumerous, multiple

    Oppositefew

  2. 2
    pronoun
    A large, indefinite group of people or things, referred to without a following noun.

    Many believe the policy will fail within a year.

    She invited a hundred people, but many declined.

    UsageTakes a plural verb: many believe, many of the guests were tired.

    Oppositefew

    Note

    Used as a pronoun, the quantifier stands alone with its noun understood: many are called, but few are chosen. The pairing with few is old and proverbial, and The Holy Bible of 1611 already uses the bare form in many have taken in hand.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

    • The wording “many are called, but few are chosen” occurs in Matthew 22:14. en.wikisource.org
    • The pairing with few is old and proverbial. ccel.org
    • The King James Bible's first edition dates to 1611. en.wikisource.org
    • The King James Bible uses many without a following noun in Luke 1:1. en.wikisource.org
  3. 3
    adjective
    Existing or occurring in large number; numerous.

    Her many achievements were celebrated at the ceremony.

    The region's many rivers make it ideal for farming.

    UsageAfter the or a possessive: her many achievements, the region's many rivers.

    Similarnumerous, countless, multiple, various, myriad

    Note

    After a possessive or the, the word describes rather than counts, and it sits where an adjective sits: her many achievements, the region's many rivers. That position is how Dickens can write one of my many such moments, with many standing after my. Numerous is the closest swap. Its comparative and superlative, more and most, are the same forms as those of the plain quantifier.

    Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

    • Dickens wrote “one of my many such moments”; it occurs in Bella's dialogue in Our Mutual Friend. en.wikisource.org

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    noun
    A large number of people or things, used in the phrases 'a good many' and 'a great many'.

    A good many of the original members have since retired.

    He has read a great many of the classic novels.

    UsageFollowed by a plural noun or of, and takes a plural verb: a great many of them were lost.

    Similarlot, load, heap, abundance, boatload

    Note

    This is the noun behind a good many and a great many. In these phrases an article and an intensifier turn the word into a quantity of its own, usually followed by of. A nonstandard, dialectal bare form, a many, also turns up outside that pattern: Florence Dyer writes in 2005 that her mother "cried a many of times." The versions with good or great are the familiar ones.

    Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

    • Florence Dyer wrote that her mother "cried a many of times." Wiktionary confirms the wording and attribution, citing page 22 of A Mother's Cry!: Touches the Very Heart of God. en.wiktionary.org
  2. 5
    ordinary peoplenoun
    The general mass of people regarded collectively; the multitude, often contrasted with a privileged few.

    Reforms were promised for the many who had long been ignored.

    Throughout history, the many have rarely held real power.

    UsageAlmost always the many, set against the few, with a plural verb.

    Similarcrowd, multitude, masses, mob, populace

    Note

    It names ordinary people as a political body and takes a plural verb (the many have rarely held power). Crowd and mob suggest a physical gathering. The many means a whole population seen from above, and it can tip toward "the common herd".

  3. 6
    determinerliterary
    Used before 'a' or 'an' plus a singular noun to speak of numerous separate people, things, or occasions.

    Many a sailor has gone down in these cold northern waters.

    She had spent many an evening by that window, waiting for his letters.

    UsageTakes a singular noun and verb: many a sailor has gone down. Common in many a time.

    Note

    Each one is counted on its own, which gives the phrase a storyteller's weight that suits evenings, years and voyages remembered. In ordinary speech, many sailors or a lot of sailors says the same thing without the literary ring.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of many apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

The determiner comes from Middle English many, from Old English maniġ, going back to Proto-West Germanic *manag and Proto-Germanic *managaz ("many, much"). It is related to Dutch menig and German manch, and possibly to Icelandic margur. The noun comes from Old English manigeo, menigu ("company, multitude, host"), built on the same root.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

  • The determiner descends from Middle English many and Old English maniġ. en.wiktionary.org
  • Old English maniġ descends from Proto-West Germanic *manag and Proto-Germanic *managaz. en.wiktionary.org
  • Many is related to Dutch menig and German manch. en.wiktionary.org
  • The noun descends from Old English manigeo, menigu, meaning company, multitude, host. en.wiktionary.org
  • The Old English noun was formed from the same root as the determiner. en.wiktionary.org