more or less

adverb

1
: to a varying or undetermined extent or degree : somewhat
they were more or less willing to help
2
: with small variations : approximately
contains 16 acres more or less

Examples of more or less in a Sentence

the lot is 16 acres more or less most couples in the survey said that they were more or less happy in their marriage
Recent Examples on the Web Nevertheless, these miners trade more or less in line with the majors in the sector and, lately, made it to new 52-week highs. John Navin, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 The basic stance of mainstream environmentalists now is that the country is more or less on the right track. Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2024 This list from Maytag is a good reference to keep on file, and Chen agrees that these levels should be more or less the same no matter the exact make and model of your microwave. Audrey Bruno, SELF, 14 Oct. 2024 The size and design of the drink mouth can allow more or less heat to escape and affect the overall insulation performance. Adam Trenkamp, Outside Online, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for more or less 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'more or less.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of more or less was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near more or less

Cite this Entry

“More or less.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/more%20or%20less. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

more or less

adverb
1
: to a varying or uncertain degree : somewhat
they were more or less willing to help
2
: with small variations : approximately
contains 16 acres more or less
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!