hundreds of thousands

USAGE SUMMARY

"hundreds of thousands" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to describe a large number of something, e.g. "Hundreds of thousands of people attended the concert last night."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

Hundreds of thousands have left the island.

Princeton University

Maybe hundreds of thousands of cards.

Princeton University

Every year, influenza sickens millions, hospitalizes hundreds of thousands, and kills tens of thousands.

Harvard University

Thousands and tens and hundreds of thousands turned up.

University of California, Berkeley

IBM and GE have hundreds of thousands of employees.

University of California, Berkeley

There are hundreds of thousands, millions of us.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

But hundreds of millions is not billions.

The Guardian

It was in the hundreds of billions.

Yale University

All the suspect "discretionary" programs come to tens of billions, not hundreds of billions.

The Washington Post

And hundreds of millions — perhaps many billions — of times.

The Washington Post

Their aim was to torture tens of thousands, and to terrify hundreds of millions.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hundreds of thousands", ensure the context provides a clear understanding of what is being quantified. For example, specify "hundreds of thousands of dollars" or "hundreds of thousands of people".

Common error

Avoid using "hundreds of thousands" when a more precise number is available or necessary. If the exact number is known, use it for greater accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hundreds of thousands" functions as a quantifier, specifying a large but imprecise number. It typically modifies a noun, indicating the quantity of something. Ludwig provides examples showcasing its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Academia

33%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hundreds of thousands" is a commonly used phrase to describe a large quantity, specifically between 100,000 and 999,999. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and sees frequent use across various contexts, particularly in news, academic writing, and general discourse. While versatile, it’s essential to ensure the context is clear and avoid overstating precision when more accurate figures are available. Exploring alternatives like "numerous" or "a multitude" can enrich your writing and prevent repetition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

thousands upon thousands

Emphasizes a very large number, more dramatic than simply 'thousands'.

a great number

A general way to indicate a large quantity.

large numbers

A simple and direct way to express a large quantity.

a multitude

Emphasizes a very large number without specifying an exact quantity.

a vast quantity

Highlights the immensity of the amount.

numerous

Indicates a large, unspecified number.

considerable number

Suggests a noteworthy quantity.

innumerable

Suggests a quantity too great to be counted.

countless

Similar to innumerable, highlighting the inability to count.

substantial amount

Indicates a significant quantity, often used in formal contexts.

FAQs

How do I use "hundreds of thousands" in a sentence?

Use "hundreds of thousands" to describe a quantity greater than one hundred thousand but less than a million. For example, "Hundreds of thousands of people attended the festival".

What's a more formal way to say "hundreds of thousands"?

While "hundreds of thousands" is suitable for most contexts, you could use phrases like "a considerable number" or "substantial amount" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "hundreds of thousands" or "hundreds thousand"?

"Hundreds of thousands" is the correct and grammatically sound way to express a quantity in that range. "Hundreds thousand" is incorrect.

What can I say instead of "hundreds of thousands" to avoid repetition?

You can use alternatives like "numerous", "a multitude", or "thousands upon thousands" to vary your language.