MUCH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does much mean? 

• MUCH (noun)
  The noun MUCH has 1 sense:

1. a great amount or extent

  Familiarity information: MUCH used as a noun is very rare.

• MUCH (adjective)
  The adjective MUCH has 1 sense:

1. (quantifier used with mass nouns) great in quantity or degree or extent

  Familiarity information: MUCH used as an adjective is very rare.

• MUCH (adverb)
  The adverb MUCH has 5 senses:

1. to a great degree or extent

2. very

3. to a very great degree or extent

4. (degree adverb used before a noun phrase) for all practical purposes but not completely

5. frequently or in great quantities

  Familiarity information: MUCH used as an adverb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MUCH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A great amount or extent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Context example:

they did much for humanity

Hypernyms ("much" is a kind of...):

large indefinite amount; large indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is above the average in size or magnitude)

• MUCH (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(quantifier used with mass nouns) great in quantity or degree or extent

Context example:

much grain is in storage

Similar:

overmuch (very great in quantity; overabundant)

some (relatively much but unspecified in amount or extent)

such (of so extreme a degree or extent)

incalculable; untold (too much to be measured)

Also:

more; more than ((comparative of 'much' used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree)

Antonym:

little ((quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with 'a') at least some)

Derivation:

muchness (greatness of quantity or measure or extent)

• MUCH (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

To a great degree or extent

Context example:

she's much better now

Sense 2

Meaning:

Very

Context example:

he was much annoyed

Sense 3

Meaning:

To a very great degree or extent

Synonyms:

a good deal; a great deal; a lot; lots; much; very much

Context example:

this would help a great deal

Sense 4

Meaning:

(degree adverb used before a noun phrase) for all practical purposes but not completely

Synonyms:

much; practically

Context example:

practically everything in Hinduism is the manifestation of a god

Sense 5

Meaning:

Frequently or in great quantities

Synonyms:

a great deal; much; often

Context example:

I don't travel much

 Context examples 

Saturn will move you along, and suddenly you will feel ready for commitment and more.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

But the little woman was doubtless much older.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

I'll help you with the hard words, and they'll explain things if we don't understand, whispered Beth, very much impressed by the pretty books and her sisters' example.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

"Don't let us have any more such goings-on," said he.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If he be indeed an ungodly and violent man, there is the more need that I should seek him out and see whether I cannot turn him to better ways.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"They ain't a-goin' to get any more of our dogs if I can help it."

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The astonishment here was much greater than at the sight of my scimitar.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

But Mr. Baynes had kept his most sinister exhibit to the last.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The combined data resulted in a better, deeper and more complete image of the system.

(Yellowstone magma discovery, NSF)

We and our fathers before us lived much the same life, but they with their railway trains and their steamboats belong to a different age.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)