A21K

Several

UK /["/ˈsevrəl/"]/US /["/ˈsevrəl/"]/

Definition

more than two but not very many

In simple words: more than two but not many

Examples

  • Several letters arrived this morning.
  • He's written several books about India.
  • Several more people than usual came to the meeting.
  • If you're looking for a photo of Alice you'll find several in here.
  • Several of the paintings were destroyed in the fire.

Usage notes

Used to indicate an unspecified number of items greater than two. It's generally appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid it in very formal contexts where specific numbers are preferred.

Grammar pattern

standalone quantifier

Memory hint

Think of 'several' as 'seven' and imagine a group of seven items.

Collocations

  • several examples
  • several options
  • several people
  • several times
  • several steps

Synonyms

  • a few
  • various
  • sundry
  • multiple
  • handful

Antonyms

  • few
  • single

Common mistakes

  • Using 'several' to mean 'many'.
  • Confusing 'several' with 'a few' — 'a few' suggests a smaller number.
  • Using 'several' with singular nouns.