May 29, 2024

[Aroline Hanson, Ph.D.](https://blog.duolingo.com/author/aroline/)

# Strengthen your English with these 16 synonyms for “a lot”

Ever find yourself saying “a lot”, well, *a lot*? Use these English synonyms instead!

Sometimes learning English can be, well, **_a lot_**. 😅

Instead of describing something with the overused phrase a lot, add a whole bunch of synonyms for _a lot_ to your English toolkit!

## Alternatives to _a lot_

The phrase _a lot_ comes from the word _lot_, meaning “a portion of something,” but it has evolved to now mean “a large number or amount.” You don’t have to be stuck with _a lot_, though—there are many alternatives in English. Some formal options that are adjectives (and therefore require the noun you are describing) include abundant, plentiful, or immeasurable. For example, you could have [_abundant desire_](https://blog.duolingo.com/which-generation-most-serious-about-streak/) to learn a new language, _plentiful support_ from your [friends who follow you on Duolingo](https://blog.duolingo.com/friends-social-features/), and [_immeasurable positive results_](https://blog.duolingo.com/benefits-of-learning-second-language/) from learning that language.

While many synonyms for _a lot_ that are nouns tend to be folksy—they can sound a bit old-fashioned—using them indicates deep knowledge of English. Some informal synonyms that come from units of measurement include _tons_, _barrels_, _loads_, and _reams_:

| Synonym | Usual meaning | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| tons | a unit of weight | tons of time |
| barrels | a unit of volume | barrels of excitement |
| loads | a unit of weight or mass | loads of motivation to learn synonyms |
| reams | a measure of paper quantity (~516 sheets) | reams of articles to read |

## Fun synonyms for _a lot_

When you want to refer to a large amount of something in a sillier way, you can use oodles, gobs, or a personal favorite, zillions. The noun _oodles_ was possibly formed from the phrase kit and caboodle, which roughly means “the whole collection.” You can have oodles of joy, oodles of unread emails (yikes!), or even oodles of noodles! 🤤

Speaking of a mouthful, _gobs_ is another fun alternative to _a lot_ that comes from the Middle English word for “a mouthful.” There’s even a candy called a gobstopper! You can have gobs of gobstoppers or gobs and gobs of garlic. Either way, you might want to brush your teeth after!

Finally, _zillions_ is a delightful way to say _a lot_ when you want to emphasize the sheer number of something. _Zillions_ is an alteration of the words billion and million that was made in jest. If you’re handing out free pens and someone asks you how many you have, you could say, Zillions! to stress that you have plenty to give away.

## Options for _a lot_ as an adverb

_A lot_ can also function as an adverb, which has fewer folksy options. Instead of saying you go to the movies _a lot_, you could say you go often or frequently, and instead of saying you like horseradish _a lot_ (who doesn’t?), you could say you like it tremendously or considerably.

## _A lot_ of good options!

When it comes to synonyms for _a lot_, you have copious alternatives in your toolkit to show off your English skills!