a lot

[ uh lot ]

noun

1. lot ( def 14 ).

adverb

1. lot ( def 21 ).

Spelling Note

As a noun and adverb, a lot is frequently misspelled as alot.

Word History and Origins

Origin of a lot¹

First recorded in 1820–30

Idioms and Phrases

Very many, a large number; also, very much. For example, A lot of people think the economy is declining , or Sad movies always made her cry a lot . It is sometimes put as a whole lot for greater emphasis, as in I learned a whole lot in his class . It may also emphasize a comparative indication of amount, as in We need a whole lot more pizza to feed everyone , or Mary had a lot less nerve than I expected . [ Colloquial ; early 1800s]

Example Sentences

I mean, we all know we are tasked with a lot and sometimes it involves not just us fixing title tags or doing keyword research but other times it involves coding, graphic design and even a little tax law.

From Search Engine Land

He just had that look, like a guy who had a lost a lot of weight really rapidly.

From Washington Post

There’s a lot of “new” for the Overwatch League’s London Spitfire.

From Washington Post

At higher levels, players spend a lot of their time in the air, competing for control of the ball before it even touches the ground.

From Washington Post

I feel like it will take my lifetime to continue pushing for change, and that it’s going to take a lot of people doing it at once.

From Time

Minaj dropped her newest single Anaconda on Monday, a Sir Mix-A-Lot sampling ode to her own assets.

From The Daily Beast

But seriously, what do you get when mix the Seattle Symphony with Sir Mix-A-Lot?

From The Daily Beast

However, the economic impact of what Yergin calls “energy a-lot-less-dependent” is just beginning to manifest itself.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• great deal
• lots
• mass