1
a
: great in quantity, amount, extent, or degree
there is much truth in what you say
taken too much time
b
: great in importance or significance
nothing much happened
2
obsolete : many in number
3
: more than is expected or acceptable : more than enough
the large pizza is a bit much for one person

much

2 of 3

adverb

more; most
1
a(1)
: to a great degree or extent : considerably
much happier
(2)
: very
much gratified
b(1)
(2)
: by or for a long time
didn't get to work much before noon
c
: by far
was much the brightest student
2
: nearly, approximately
looks much the way his father did

much

3 of 3

noun

1
: a great quantity, amount, extent, or degree
She gave away much of what she owned
2
: something considerable or impressive
was not much to look at
Phrases
too much
1
: wonderful, exciting
That rock concert was too much!
2
as much
1
: the same in quantity
not quite as much money
2
: to the same degree

Examples of much in a Sentence

Adjective actually, nothing much changed Adverb The new car is much better on gas mileage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
And those moves had much of Packer Nation scratching their collective heads. Rob Reischel, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 Thursday: Snow and rain expand over the West The storm will push east, with rain and snow spreading into more of the West and reaching much of the Rockies by the evening. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Adverb
When uncertainty runs high, fear can hijack our thinking, making the present feel permanent rather than just one chapter in a much larger story. Margie Warrell, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 Floyd started all 17 games in 2024 and brought in 8.5 sacks — making his release that much more confusing. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
The best part about the Pines is there is no pressure to do much, and there is anything and everything at your fingertips. Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Dec. 2024 Ji-Young doesn’t have to do much, and all those moments are there. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024 See All Example Sentences for much

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Adverb, and Noun

Middle English muche large, much, from michel, muchel, from Old English micel, mycel; akin to Old High German mihhil great, large, Latin magnus, Greek megas, Sanskrit mahat

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of much was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Much.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/much. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

1
: great in quantity, amount, or extent
has much money
takes too much time
2
: great in importance or significance
nothing much happened

much

2 of 3 adverb
more; most
1
a
: to a great or high level or extent
much happier
b
: very
much obliged
2
: just about : nearly
looks much as it did years ago

much

3 of 3 noun
1
: a great quantity, amount, extent, or part
much that was said is false
2
: something important or impressive
not much to look at

More from Merriam-Webster on much

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