several

several — determiner

1. used before a plural noun to indicate an unspecified count — greater than two bu

1.determinerA2
Definition

used before a plural noun to indicate an unspecified count — greater than two but not large — without naming the exact figure.

Example

Eliska has read several books on Japanese history this summer.

several + plural noun (books on a topic)

The café closed for several weeks while the kitchen was being repaired.

several + time period (weeks)

Common collocations
  • several years
  • several days
  • several times
  • several people
  • several hundred
  • several reasons
  • several ways
  • several occasions
Synonyms
  • a few

    similar in meaning but may imply a smaller number; 'a few' often feels like 3-5, while 'several' can stretch to 6-8.

  • a number of

    more formal; used in writing and reports rather than everyday speech.

  • multiple

    more technical or formal; common in academic or medical contexts ('multiple injuries').

Antonyms
  • one

    a single item rather than multiple items.

  • none

    zero items rather than two or more.

Grammar Patterns

several + plural noun

several + hundred/thousand/million + plural noun

Usage Note

Frequently used before a plural countable noun. Do not use before uncountable nouns (❌ 'several water'). For uncountable nouns, use 'some' instead.

Common Mistakes

I have several homework to finish.
I have several assignments to finish.
'homework' is uncountable; 'several' requires a plural countable noun.
There is several options.
There are several options.
'several' always takes a plural verb.
Several of water spilled.
Some water spilled.
'several' cannot be used with uncountable nouns.

several — pronoun

several — adjective

Word family

  • severally
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: determiner/1

All four words express an unspecified quantity, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Some' is the broadest and most neutral — it simply indicates an amount without any clue about size ('some people like spicy food'). 'A few' emphasises a small number, usually felt to be around three to five, and often carries a positive tone of sufficiency ('I have a few good ideas'). 'Several' sits in the middle: more than two but not many, often used when the speaker has a rough count in mind but chooses not to state it ('several countries have signed the agreement'). 'Multiple' is more formal and technical, commonly used in academic or medical contexts ('multiple injuries', 'multiple factors'). 'Various' differs from the others because it highlights diversity rather than number — using 'various reasons' tells the listener that the reasons are different from each other, not just that there are several of them. For everyday speaking about quantity, 'a few' and 'several' are the most natural choices, while 'some' works in almost any situation.

some ↗a fewmultiple ↗various ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • several years
  • several days
  • several weeks
  • several months
  • several hours
  • several people
  • several reasons
  • several ways
  • several occasions

Adverbs

  • several times
  • several more
  • several less

Phrases

  • on several occasions
  • in several places
  • for several reasons
  • over several years

Prepositions

  • several of

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'several' entered English through Anglo-French around the 1400s, originally meaning 'separate' or 'distinct'. It came from Medieval Latin 'separalis', which traces back to Latin 'separ' meaning 'different' (from 'se-' = apart + 'parare' = to prepare/arrange). The modern quantity sense — 'more than two but not many' — developed later in Middle English. This shift from 'separate' to 'an indefinite number' happened because when things are separate or distinct from each other, there are naturally multiple items involved. Over time, the focus moved from the quality of being distinct to the quantity of items being more than one.