much too many

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "much too many" is not correct in standard written English.
It is a misuse of the terms "much" and "many," as "much" is used with uncountable nouns and "many" is used with countable nouns. Example: "There are much too many people in this room." should be "There are too many people in this room."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

There's too much, too many things.

The Guardian - Travel

It seems too much, too many, and for a long while Miles does little to unite them.

The New York Times - Books

(Rooney) 'Too Much, Too Much, Too Many' (previews start on Friday; opens on Nov. 20) Roundabout Underground has a solid track record, spawning hits like "Speech & Debate," "Tigers Be Still" and "Bad Jews".

The New York Times

It winds up being too much: too many words, too many decibels (owing to an ear-wrecking sound design), too many hammy fight sequences, and, despite several able performances, too many characters.

The New Yorker

They thwacked their way to 281, which was much too many for Warwickshire once their troika of Mark Wagh, Jim Troughton and Ian Bell had fallen in single figures.

The Guardian - Sport

Too many words, too many dresses, too many pants, too much chocolate, too many cars — instead of being glad that there is finally enough of everything, he says: Too much, too many, an inflation of stuff that buries everything else, the essential things, the real things.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

We've got too much lucha, too much conga, too much history, too many milagros, we've got too much for y'all.

HuffPost

Too much juice, too much flavor, too many spots.

The New York Times - Books

The problem here is too much rum, too much boredom, too many weapons.

The Economist

There is too much talent, too much hunger, too many players grappling for control of centre stage.

The Guardian - Sport

"We had too much of too much for too many years," said Giovanna Battaglia, a stylist, who wore a Balenciaga top with netting that branzini could swim through.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "much too many" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "far too many" or "way too many".

Common error

Remember that "much" is used with uncountable nouns (e.g., "much time"), while "many" is used with countable nouns (e.g., "many books"). Using "much" before "too many" creates a grammatical error.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "much too many" functions as a quantifier, attempting to express a large quantity of something. However, it's considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI states, it's a misuse of "much" and "many".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "much too many" appears in various sources, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies it as a misuse of the terms "much" and "many". The correct alternatives include "far too many" or "way too many". It's crucial to use grammatically correct phrases, especially in formal writing, and to remember that "much" is for uncountable nouns and "many" is for countable nouns. While the phrase might appear in informal contexts, it’s best to avoid it in professional or academic settings to maintain clarity and correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

far too many

Emphasizes a significant degree of excess. Changes "much" to "far" for stronger emphasis.

way too many

Informal way to indicate a large excess. Replaces "much" with the colloquial "way".

excessively many

More formal and direct synonym. Replaces "much too" with the single adverb "excessively".

an excessive amount

Shifts from countable to uncountable phrasing, emphasizing quantity. Changes the structure to focus on an amount.

a surplus of

Highlights an overabundance. Uses "surplus" to denote having more than needed.

too much

Simplifies the phrase, focusing on the general excess. Removes "many", focusing solely on "much".

overabundant

Describes something as being present in great quantity. It's an adjective indicating plentifulness beyond what's necessary.

too numerous

Focuses on the high number of items. Replaces "much" with "numerous" for direct emphasis on quantity.

more than enough

Indicates that the quantity surpasses what is required. It's a general expression of sufficiency being exceeded.

a great deal

Indicates a large quantity or amount. The word choice shifts from direct excess to a large quantity.

FAQs

Is "much too many" grammatically correct?

No, "much too many" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct phrasing would be "far too many" or "way too many".

What's the difference between "much too many" and "far too many"?

"Much too many" is grammatically incorrect, misusing "much" with a countable noun. "Far too many" is the correct and widely accepted way to express a large, excessive quantity of countable items.

When can I use "too much" instead of "much too many"?

Use "too much" when referring to uncountable nouns. For example, you can say "There is "too much" water in the glass" but not ""too much" people". For countable nouns, use "far too many" instead.

What are some alternatives to "much too many"?

Alternatives include "far too many", "way too many", "excessively many", or simply "too many", depending on the desired level of emphasis.