TKG English Learner's Dictionary

many

manydeterminer

American /ˈmɛn.i/ British /ˈmen.i/
very commondefining vocabulary

  1. a large numberused before a plural noun to mean a large number of people or things

    Many goes before a plural countable noun and can be used in a positive statement, a question, or a negative sentence: many people, how many people?, not many people.

    Collocations

    phrase so many, too many, as many

    Antonyms few

    Compare much (many goes with a plural countable noun; much goes with an uncountable noun); several

Phrases

a good many

a fairly large number of people or things, more than expected

Usage

Unlike much, many is used freely in ordinary positive statements as well as in questions and negatives: Many people agree is natural, while Much time was spent sounds more formal than the everyday A lot of time was spent. The comparative of many is more, and the superlative is most, shared with much. Many used alone, without a following noun (many were invited), is a separate entry.

Common mistakes

She has many money. She has a lot of money.
Many goes only with a plural countable noun; an uncountable noun like money needs much or, in everyday speech, a lot of.
I don't have much friends here. I don't have many friends here.
A plural countable noun like friends needs many, not much.

See also much; more; many (many used alone, without a following noun: many were invited)

For translators

Grammar trap Many goes only with a plural countable noun; the matching word for an uncountable noun is much.