First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
1much
adjective \ˈməch\
: large in amount or extent : not little
more \ˈmȯr\ most \ˈmōst\
Full Definition of MUCH
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>
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Origin of MUCH
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
Related to MUCH
- Synonyms
- big, consequential, earthshaking, earth-shattering, eventful, historic, major, material, meaningful, momentous, monumental, important, significant, substantial, tectonic, weighty
- Antonyms
- inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, small, trifling, trivial, unimportant
2much
adverb
: to a great degree or extent
: by a long time
: very nearly
moremost
Full Definition of MUCH
1
a (1) : to a great degree or extent : considerably <much happier> (2) : very <much gratified> b (1) : frequently, often (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>
— as much
1
: the same in quantity <not quite as much money>
2
: to the same degree
See much defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of MUCH
13th century
Related to MUCH
- Synonyms
- achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone, colossally, corking, cracking, damn, damned, dang, deadly, desperately, eminently, enormously, especially, ever, exceedingly (also exceeding), extra, extremely, fabulously, fantastically, far, fiercely, filthy, frightfully, full, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, immensely, incredibly, intensely, jolly, majorly, mightily, mighty, monstrous [chiefly dialect], mortally, most, very, particularly, passing, rattling, real, really, right, roaring, roaringly, seriously, severely, so, sore, sorely, spanking, specially, stinking, such, super, supremely, surpassingly, terribly, that, thumping, too, unco, uncommonly, vastly, vitally, way, whacking, wicked, wildly
- Antonyms
- little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, somewhat
3much
noun
Definition of MUCH
1
: a great quantity, amount, extent, or degree <gave away much>
2
: something considerable or impressive
First Known Use of MUCH
13th century
Related to MUCH
- Synonyms
- abundance, barrel, basketful, boatload, bucket, bunch, bundle, bushel, carload, chunk, deal, dozen, fistful, gobs, good deal, heap, hundred, lashings (also lashins) [chiefly British], loads, mass, mess, mountain, lot, multiplicity, myriad, oodles, pack, passel, peck, pile, plateful, plenitude, plentitude, plenty, pot, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, sheaf, shipload, sight, slew, spate, stack, store, ton, truckload, volume, wad, wealth, yard
MUCH Defined for Kids
1much
adjective \ˈməch\
more \ˈmȯr\most \ˈmōst\
Definition of MUCH for Kids
1
: great in amount or extent <It took much effort.>
2
: great in importance <Nothing much happened today.>
3
: more than enough <That pizza is a bit much for one person.>
2much
adverb
moremost
Definition of MUCH for Kids
1
: to a great or high level or extent <He's much happier.>
2
: just about : nearly <She looks much the same.>
3much
noun
Definition of MUCH for Kids
1
: a great amount or part <Much that was said is true.>
2
: something important or impressive <It's not much to look at.>
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