in ‧ nu ‧ me ‧ ra ‧ ble /ɪˈnjuːm ə rəb ə l $ ɪˈnuː-/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ number , ↑ numeral , ↑ numeracy , ↑ numerator , ↑ innumeracy ; adjective : ↑ innumerable , ↑ numerical , ↑ numerous , ↑ numerate ≠ ↑ innumerate ; verb : ↑ number , ↑ outnumber ; adverb : ↑ numerically ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: innumerabilis , from numerabilis 'countable' ]
very many, or too many to be counted SYN countless :
She’s served on innumerable committees.
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THESAURUS
▪ many a large number of people or things – used in everyday English in questions and negative sentences, and after ‘too’ and ‘so’. In formal or written English, you can also use it in other sentences:
There weren’t many people at the meeting.
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Did you get many birthday presents?
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Many people voted against the proposal.
▪ a lot many. A lot is less formal than many and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English:
A lot of tourists visit Venice in the summer.
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The club has a lot more members now.
▪ dozens/hundreds/thousands/millions many – used when you cannot be exact but the number is two dozen or more, two hundred or more etc:
At least five people died and dozens more were injured in a gas explosion.
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They’ve wasted thousands of pounds on the project.
▪ a large number of written a lot of a particular type of person or thing:
China plans to build a large number of nuclear power plants.
▪ numerous formal many – used especially when saying that something has happened many times:
We’ve contacted him on numerous occasions.
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Numerous studies have shown a link between smoking and lung cancer.
▪ countless/innumerable /ɪˈnjuːm ə rəb ə l $ ɪˈnuː-/ [only before noun] many – used when it is impossible to count or imagine how many. Innumerable is more formal than countless :
He spent countless hours in the gym.
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They had been given innumerable warnings.
▪ a host of many – used especially when something seems surprising or impressive:
Age is the biggest risk factor in a host of diseases.
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People leave jobs for a whole host of reasons.
▪ a raft of many – used especially when talking about ideas, suggestions, changes in business or politics:
The report made a raft of recommendations.
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The new government is planning a whole raft of changes.
▪ quite a few especially spoken a fairly large number of people or things:
We’ve had quite a few problems with the software.
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I’ve met quite a few of his friends.
▪ lots informal many:
I’ve invited lots of people.
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‘How many cats has she got?’ ‘Lots!’
▪ tons/loads informal many – a very informal use:
I’ve got tons of books.
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Have a strawberry – there are loads here.