Amounting to or consisting of a large indefinite number: many friends. 2. Being one of a large indefinite number; numerous: many a child; many another day.

Understanding the Context

1. The majority of the people; the masses: "The many fail, the one succeeds" (Tennyson). 2. A large indefinite number: A good many of the workers had the flu.

Key Insights

You use many in expressions such as 'not many', 'not very many', and 'too many' when replying to questions about numbers of things or people. The meaning of MANY is consisting of or amounting to a large but indefinite number. How to use many in a sentence. We use the quantifiers much, many, a lot of, lots of to talk about quantities, amounts and degree. We can use them with a noun (as a determiner) or without a noun (as a pronoun).

Final Thoughts

… Many is used only with the plural of countable nouns (except in the combination many a). Its counterpart used with uncountable nouns is much. Many and much merge in the comparative and superlative forms, which are more and most for both determiners. Definition of many determiner in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Many, innumerable, manifold, numerous imply the presence or succession of a large number of units.

Many is a popular and common word for this idea: many times. many or much? Many is used with words for things that we can count. Much is used with words for things that we cannot count.