umpteen

American  

[uhmp-teen] / ˈʌmpˈtin /

Also umpsteen

adjective

Informal.

1. innumerable; many.

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umpteen British  

/ ˌʌmpˈtiːn /

determiner

1. informal

   1. very many

      umpteen things to do

   2. ( as pronoun )

      umpteen of them came

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Other Word Forms

• umpteenth noun

Etymology

Origin of umpteen

1915–20; ump(ty) , fanciful designation for an indeterminate number (with -ty as in twenty, etc.) + -teen

Example Sentences

Of course there were umpteen great reasons why Dietz would be so excited at the prospect of Ryan overseeing the adaptation, which has since been retitled “What Happens Later.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 2, 2023

Today you can go online and find umpteen pairs talking about movies, maybe even arguing about them.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2023

I mean, I didn't even know what a Kardashian was for umpteen years, and I led a blessed existence until someone finally, I said, "What's a Kardashian?"

From Salon • Jul. 19, 2023

"So if you looked at your phone - in fact, if you blinked - you probably missed one of umpteen plot twists, cameos, fans-only callbacks."

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2022

We might have watched her, hanging by a strap umpteen feet in the air, but, even worse, she had been forced to watch us.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris