2much adverb
1 a : to a great degree or extent
▪ I'm feeling much better. ▪ much happier/prettier/wealthier ▪ The new car is much better on gas mileage. ▪ They both talk too much. ▪ Thank you so/very much for your help.
b : very, extremely
▪ He is much interested in the project. ▪ They were much pleased by the compliment. ▪ some much-needed repairs ▪ a much-deserved vacation ▪ He's not much good at golf. [=he plays golf badly; he is not a good golfer]
c : frequently, often
▪ She doesn't visit her family much. ▪ Do you travel much?
d : by a long time
▪ He didn't arrive much before noon. [=he didn't arrive until almost noon] 2 : very nearly
▪ The town still looks much [=essentially] the way it did years ago. ▪ The town looks much the same. ▪ We came to much the same conclusion. ▪ We left the house much as we found it.
▪ I'm feeling much better. ▪ much happier/prettier/wealthier ▪ The new car is much better on gas mileage. ▪ They both talk too much. ▪ Thank you so/very much for your help.
b : very, extremely
▪ He is much interested in the project. ▪ They were much pleased by the compliment. ▪ some much-needed repairs ▪ a much-deserved vacation ▪ He's not much good at golf. [=he plays golf badly; he is not a good golfer]
c : frequently, often
▪ She doesn't visit her family much. ▪ Do you travel much?
d : by a long time
▪ He didn't arrive much before noon. [=he didn't arrive until almost noon]
▪ The town still looks much [=essentially] the way it did years ago. ▪ The town looks much the same. ▪ We came to much the same conclusion. ▪ We left the house much as we found it.
as much
: the same
▪ I helped her through the divorce—I know she would do as much for me. [=I know that she would help me if I were going through a divorce] ▪ He likes baseball but he likes hockey just as much. ▪ “Where is he?” “He's still at home.” “I thought as much.” [=I thought so; that is what I thought]
▪ I helped her through the divorce—I know she would do as much for me. [=I know that she would help me if I were going through a divorce] ▪ He likes baseball but he likes hockey just as much. ▪ “Where is he?” “He's still at home.” “I thought as much.” [=I thought so; that is what I thought]
as much as 1 — used to say that two things are equal in amount or degree ▪ He likes hockey as much as he likes basketball. [=he likes hockey and basketball equally] 2 : almost — used to say that someone came very close to doing something ▪ He as much as admitted his guilt.
much as
much less — see 2less
pretty much — see 2pretty
so much as — see 1so
so much the better — see 3better
very much
— used for emphasis ▪ She is very much [=entirely, decidedly] in control of the situation. ▪ The company is still very much an important part of the community.
