more than

6 synonyms and 2 antonyms for more than, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Preposition — Greater in number, amount or degree than a stated figure or thing.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

over above perfectly

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

thoroughly

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

in excess of amply

Synonyms by Meaning

1. preposition

Greater in number, amount or degree than a stated figure or thing.

“More than 200 people applied for the job.”

over in excess of above

Opposites

less than fewer than

2. adverb

Used before an adjective or adverb to mean 'very' or 'amply', with a suggestion that the standard is comfortably exceeded.

“You are more than welcome to stay the night.”

amply thoroughly perfectly

How to use more than

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

more than enough more than happy more than ever more than double

Neutral. In careful writing, 'more than' is preferred to 'over' before precise counts, though both are widely accepted.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 'more than' and 'over'?

With numbers they mean the same thing, and both are standard English. Some style guides prefer 'more than' for countable quantities and reserve 'over' for spatial relationships, but the supposed rule against 'over 200 people' has no real basis.

Should it be 'more than' or 'fewer than'?

They are opposites, not alternatives. 'More than' works for both countable and uncountable nouns, while its opposite splits: 'fewer than' for things you count, 'less than' for quantities you measure.

People also searched

over above perfectly thoroughly amply

Nearby words

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