Guide 02 / 200 6 alternatives 2-minute read
Better ways to say “A lot of”
The empty-calorie quantifier.
i · Why avoid itTwo lines, no filler
"A lot of" tells the reader something is numerous without telling them what kind of numerous. Specificity — a rough count, a scale word, a physical image — almost always reads better.
ii · Before & afterDrop-in demo
Before
A lot of people signed up. We have a lot of work to do.
After
Hundreds signed up. We have a week of work ahead.
iii · The alternatives6 ways out
- 01Many neutral
countable nouns — people, events
Many readers wrote back.
- 02Numerous formal
prose, reports
Numerous attempts have been made.
- 03Plenty of informal
warmth + abundance
Plenty of room to grow.
- 04Countless neutral
too many to count — use carefully
Countless edits later, we shipped.
- 05Dozens of neutral
when the number is 20–80
Dozens of complaints in a week.
- 06A wealth of formal
resources, evidence, experience
A wealth of evidence points the other way.
iv · Brew tipKeep this one
Prefer a real number when you have one. "A lot" is the default when you haven't checked.